Prolactin and Sexual Satisfaction in Women
Measuring prolactin surges after sexual activity may shed some light on women's sexual satisfaction, European researchers report.
The hormone prolactin is involved with regulating sexual satisfaction for both men and women. This study examined the relationship between prolactin levels and women's ratings of an individual sexual encounter.
Nine couples participated in the study. They were instructed to have penile-vaginal intercourse in a specified time frame.
Prolactin levels were measured by blood tests taken before sexual activity and about 30 minutes after.
Each woman also completed the Acute Sexual Experience Scale (ASES) questionnaire to rate her sexual encounter.
Prolactin levels varied depending on how many orgasms a woman had. Those who had two orgasms saw the highest increases, followed by women who had one orgasm.
For women who had no orgasm, prolactin levels decreased.
The authors noted that larger studies would need to confirm these results. However, they added that measuring prolactin levels appeared to be a viable way to measure orgasm quality. Such measurements may be useful in developing treatments for women with sexual dysfunction.
The study was published online in February in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. To learn more, please click here.
Submissions Welcome for New Journal Sexual Medicine
The ISSM is welcoming submissions to its newest journal, Sexual Medicine, published by Wiley. Launched in January, this journal aims to publish multidisciplinary clinical, basic, and epidemiological research to define and understand the basis of sexual function and dysfunction in diverse populations.
Sexual Medicine accepts manuscripts on the following topics:
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basic anatomy and physiology pertaining to human sexuality
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pharmacology
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clinical management of sexual dysfunction
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epidemiological studies in sexuality, psychosexual and interpersonal dimensions of human sexuality
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clinical trials
Sexual Medicine also acts as a venue for topics of regional or sub-specialty interest.
As an open access journal, Sexual Medicine publishes articles rapidly and makes them freely available to read, download, and share. A publication fee paid by authors defrays the publishing costs.
All active ISSM members including joint APSSM, ESSM, ISSWSH, MESSM, SLAMS & SMSNA members are eligible to receive an 80% (!) discount on the article publication charge for a special introductory period!
Click here to learn more about publishing in Sexual Medicine. Further information about submitting a manuscript can be found here.
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