The safety of testosterone therapy in women

Abstract

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), a subset of female sexual dysfunction, causes personal distress for surgically and naturally postmenopausal and premenopausal women. HSDD has a multi-factorial etiology, including psychosocial factors such as relationship issues and medical factors such as medications, chronic illnesses, and hormonal effects. Although no androgen therapies for female sexual dysfunction are currently approved for use in Canada, clinical trials support the efficacy and short-term safety of testosterone therapy for HSDD. We review the scientific evidence for the safety of testosterone therapy for HSDD.