Efeitos do treinamento muscular do assoalho pélvico na vida sexual de mulheres climatéricas: uma revisão sistemática

Abstract

Introduction: Climacteric refers to the period of decline in ovarian activity during which both physical and physiological changes occur, affecting the quality of life of women. The symptoms of climacteric reflect on socio-cultural, emotional, and sexual experiences. Pelvic floor muscles (PFM) play a crucial role in sexual function, and thus, we aim to analyze the effects of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) on the sexual function of women during the climacteric period. Objectives: To gather information on the use of PFMT for the treatment of sexual dysfunctions during the climacteric period. Methodology: A Systematic Literature Review (SLR) was conducted using the following databases: Scientific Electronic Library Online (Scielo), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (Medline), Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro), Cochrane Library, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences Literature (LILACS), BioMedical Central (BMC), ScienceDirect, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase. The research question was based on the PICO strategy: “What effects does pelvic floor muscle training have on the sexual function of women during the climacteric period?” The C element was not addressed as this is not a comparative study. PRISMA recommendations were followed. Randomized clinical trials were included without language or publication date restrictions. Duplicated works, studies with a high risk of methodological bias, or low methodological quality were excluded. For enhanced credibility and reliability, the study was registered on the PROSPERO platform (CRD42023400860). Results: Selected studies investigated sexual function as the primary outcome, assessed using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire. At the end of the PFMT protocol follow-up, statistically significant differences were observed in sexual function scores, especially in the domains of arousal, orgasm, and satisfaction, demonstrating the effectiveness of PFMT in improving sexual function. Conclusion: PFMT emerges as a promising approach for enhancing sexual function in climacteric women, as evidenced by the positive results observed in this study.