Impact of Infertility Duration on Female Sexual Health

Abstract

\n BackgroundAs an important source of stress, infertility may affect the quality of sexual life, with extensive studies believing that the incidence of sexual dysfunction in infertile women is highly prevalent. As the years of infertility increase, the greater this stress is likely to increase, which may aggravate psychological pain and cause sexual dysfunction. However, the effect of infertility duration on sexual health is unclear.Methods We performed a case-control study, and a total of 715 patients participated in this research between September 1, 2020, and December 25, 2020. Patients diagnosed with infertility (aged between 20 to 45 years) were included. Patients with infertility were divided into four groups according to infertility duration: ≤ 2 years (Group I, n=262), 2< infertility duration ≤5 years (Group II, n=282), 5 < infertility duration ≤8 years (Group III, n=97), and infertility duration > 8 years (Group IV, n=74). A questionnaire survey of female sexual function and psychological depression of patients with infertility was performed. The female sexual function was measured by the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), depression status was measured by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9).ResultsAnalysis of the relevant factors that affect sexual function using a multivariable logistic regression model revealed that infertility duration of less than 8 years was not a risk factor for sexual dysfunction. However, when infertility duration was greater than 8 years, the incidence of sexual dysfunction (AOR=5.158,95%CI: 1.935-13.746, P=0.001) and 3 domains [arousal disorder (AOR=2.955 ,95%CI: 1.194-7.314, P=0.019, coital pain (AOR=3.811 ,95%CI: 1.045-13.897, P=0.043), and lubrication disorder (AOR=5.077 ,95%CI: 1.340-19.244, P=0.017)] increases. ConclusionsThe multivariate regression equation model reveals that the infertility duration is more than 8 years, which is a risk factor for the occurrence of sexual dysfunction. As the infertility duration increases, the incidence of female sexual dysfunction and psychological distress may increase.