Male Infertility and Its Impact on Women’s Sexual Behaviors: Need Attention to Psychological Problem as A Psychological Rehabilitation

Abstract

Objectives: Those men who have long been suffering from infertility and failed to get any treatment experience higher levels of depression, are less satisfied with their sex lives, and are far less healthy. Sexual dysfunction is a problem among infertile couples that can affect marital relationship and satisfaction. This study aimed to examine male infertility and its influence on women's sexual behaviors. Methods:This study is a cross-sectional study in which people attending a Fertility Center in Yazd between 1 September 2013 and 10 March 2014 were included via convenience sampling. The subjects were women with infertile husbands without associated physical and mental diseases such as sexual function disorder, diabetes, cardiovascular and psychotic or mood disorder, or non-consumption of certain drugs and women with fertile husbands who were matched for age, education, and occupation. The data were gathered using three questionnaires: the Hurlbert Index of Sexual Assertiveness, Sexual Dysfunctional Beliefs Questionnaire (SDBQ), and Couple Burnout Measure (CBM). The results were then compared between the groups. Results:The findings showed that the mean two subscales of emotional burnout (P=0.01) and psychological burnout (P=0.001) from the CBM were statistically significant in both the groups of women. There were differences between the mean scores of two groups in SDBQ subcategories with respect to sexual self-thought (P=0.002) and sexual dysfunctional beliefs (P=0.04). Sexual assertiveness in women with fertile husbands was higher than in the other one. Sexual burnout and SDBQ subcategories were higher in women with infertile husbands than in women with fertile husbands.Discussion: Male infertility may be associated with sexual disorders in the partner. Attention to psychological need and rehabilitation in infertile couples may be helping them to increase mental health and quality of life in these people.

Does Infertility Stress Impair Sexual Function in Infertile Women and Men? A Cross-Sectional Study in Iran

“…Sexual function in infertile women may depend on the fertility of their partners. A study by Ghavi et al ( 10 ) showed that sexual assertiveness in women with a fertile partner was higher in comparison with women having an infertile partner, and sexual burnout in women with an infertile partner was higher ( 8 ). Furthermore, infertile women experience more stress and depression and have a lower sexual quality of life ( 9 ), and the more years of infertility and its treatment, the lower the sexual function in women ( 10 ).…”

“…A study by Ghavi et al ( 10 ) showed that sexual assertiveness in women with a fertile partner was higher in comparison with women having an infertile partner, and sexual burnout in women with an infertile partner was higher ( 8 ). Furthermore, infertile women experience more stress and depression and have a lower sexual quality of life ( 9 ), and the more years of infertility and its treatment, the lower the sexual function in women ( 10 ). Winkelman et al ( 11 ) in their study showed that when the cause of infertility is the female factor, and in women younger than 40 years with primary infertility, the sexual function is more impaired.…”

Supportive care: men’s expectations who undergoing in vitro fertilization treatment

“…Since infertility is a multifaceted problem, its effects could not limit to emotional consequences [14]. To our knowledge, most studies have focused on male psychological wellbeing and needs in infertility but less is known about the multi-dimensional needs of infertile men seeking assisted reproduction treatment (ART) and their thoughts and experiences regarding their fertility care [15][16][17]. There is also evidence that men, unlike women, rarely express their problems and needs in the health service [18,19].…”