The French Federation of Diabetics (FFD) has launched a public awareness campaign in France to break the taboo around diabetes and sexual health, since the group says Talks About 50% of the estimated 4.5 million people living with diabetes there will ultimately have some degree of diabetes-related sexual dysfunction, Medscape reports. Four videos on women's sexual health have been online since late September, and the FFD says the problem often goes unspoken because clinicians rarely raise it and patients hesitate to.
The campaign includes an informational brochure and an awareness video, both titled “Diabetes and Sexual Health: The Complications No One About.” Since late September, four videos specifically about the sexual health of women with diabetes have also been available online.
The reason is circulation. The FFD says diabetes can damage blood vessels and impair blood flow. In men, that can show up as erectile dysfunction. In women, it can contribute to reduced vaginal lubrication.
The numbers, as Medscape reports them from Santé publique France: erectile dysfunction affects an estimated 50% of men with type 1 diabetes and as many as 70% of men with type 2. The FFD warned that it can appear years before other cardiovascular complications, making it an early warning sign that shouldn’t be brushed off.
Among women with diabetes, vaginal dryness appears to occur about twice as often, which can lead to painful sex (dyspareunia) and less pleasure. Diabetes may also raise the risk of recurrent genitourinary infections, including yeast infections and cystitis.
Nerves are part of the story too. When the nerves involved in the sexual response are affected, problems can follow, including reduced sensitivity, pain during intercourse, difficulty reaching orgasm and ejaculatory disorders. The daily burden of managing the disease, plus fear of hypoglycemia and fatigue, can also affect self-image, strain relationships and wear down mental health. Some people may even develop a real fear of intimacy when diabetes dominates daily life.
Life stages matter. During menopause, hormonal shifts can intensify some of these effects, including vaginal dryness, painful sex, reduced libido, fatigue and recurrent urinary tract infections. Contraception for women with diabetes should be individualized, based on the type of diabetes, how long someone has had it and their age, ideally with a diabetes specialist, gynecologist or midwife. For pregnancy, Medscape reports that experts recommend an A1c below 6.5% before conception and stable glycemic control throughout.
Here is the part the campaign is really aimed at. Clinicians often don’t raise the topic, because of time constraints or lack of specific training. Patients may hesitate because of embarrassment, modesty or fear of being judged. The result, per Medscape, is that many people live with these problems in silence for years, even though effective options for evaluation and treatment exist.
Better education, more open discussion and a routine place for sexual health in the broader care pathway could help clinicians spot problems earlier and steer patients toward solutions, Medscape reports.
The figures are estimates from the FFD and Santé publique France, as relayed by Medscape, not results from a new study. The Medscape story was translated from its Federation edition.