A Proposed Inventory to Assess Changes in Orgasm Function of Transgender Patients Following Gender Affirming Treatments: Pilot Study

Michael Zaliznyak, BA; Marie Lauzon, MS; Jenna Stelmar, BS; Nance Yuan, MD; Shannon M. Smith, MD, MPH; Maurice M. Garcia, MD, MAS

Sexual Medicine (Jun 2022)

A Proposed Inventory to Assess Changes in Orgasm Function of Transgender Patients Following Gender Affirming Treatments: Pilot Study

Michael Zaliznyak, BA,
Marie Lauzon, MS,
Jenna Stelmar, BS,
Nance Yuan, MD,
Shannon M. Smith, MD, MPH,
Maurice M. Garcia, MD, MAS

Affiliations

Michael Zaliznyak, BA: Saint Louis University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA
Marie Lauzon, MS: Biostatistics & Bioinformatics Core, Cedars-Sinai Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Jenna Stelmar, BS: Division of Urology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Cedars-Sinai Transgender Surgery and Health Program, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Nance Yuan, MD: Huntington Plastic Surgery Institute, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Shannon M. Smith, MD, MPH: Division of Urology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Cedars-Sinai Transgender Surgery and Health Program, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Maurice M. Garcia, MD, MAS: Division of Urology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Cedars-Sinai Transgender Surgery and Health Program, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Urology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Department of Anatomy, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Corresponding Author: Maurice M. Garcia, MD, MAS, 8635 West 3rd Street, Suite 1070, Los Angeles, CA 90048, USA. Tel: 310 423-4254

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 10, no. 3
p. 100510

Abstract

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Introduction: While providers generally counsel patients about possible effects of gender affirming treatments, such as gender affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) and gender affirming surgery (GAS), on sexual function – the effects of these treatments on orgasm function and quality are not well understood. Aim: To develop a gender transition orgasm quality inventory based on orgasm function domains transgender patients communicated were important to them. Methods: We conducted a series of interviews in which we asked transgender patients to describe which factors related to orgasm (ie, orgasm quality and orgasm-related sexual function) were most important to them. This work generated a list of 6 domains which we incorporated into a survey instrument. The 6 domains that our work generated are: (1) Lead-time to reach orgasm, (2) Duration of orgasm, (3) Body location of orgasm sensation; (4) Description of orgasm as either a single or multiple-peak event, (5) Duration of postorgasm refractory period, and (6) Overall satisfaction with orgasm quality. Using this new questionnaire, we queried potential changes in orgasm function before and after commencing GAHT (minimum 1 year) among 130 consecutive transgender women (TW) and 33 transgender men (TM) as a pilot study. Results: Within groups by gender, TW and TM cohorts reported similar responses to our inventory before starting GAHT. After commencing GAHT, TW reported notable changes in orgasm function: increase in lead-time necessary to reach orgasm, orgasm duration, and overall orgasm satisfaction; and decrease in post-orgasm refractory period. Similarly, TM reported an increase in duration of orgasm and increased overall satisfaction with orgasm quality; and a decrease in post-orgasm refractory period. Over half of the TW reported experiencing orgasms in new/additional body locations. Additionally, prior to commencing GAHT, the majority of TM and TW patients reported their orgasms as a short, single-peak event but following GAHT these same patients reported longer and protracted multiple-peak orgasms. Conclusion: We have developed a novel questionnaire with the purpose of assessing patient self-reported changes in orgasm function following gender affirming treatments. Findings from our pilot study shows that GAHT has the potential to positively improve sexual function and orgasm quality for transgender patients undergoing gender transition. We encourage future studies to utilize our novel questionnaire to assess potential changes in orgasm function related to various gender affirming procedures.Zaliznyak M, Lauzon M, Stelmar J, et al. A Proposed Inventory to Assess Changes in Orgasm Function of Transgender Patients Following Gender Affirming Treatments: Pilot Study. Sex Med 2022;10:100510.

Published in Sexual Medicine

ISSN: 2050-1161 (Online)
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Medicine
Website: https://academic.oup.com/smoa

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