Infertility from a psychosexual perspective: assessment of sexual function, dyadic adjustment and psychiatric comorbidities among a sample of Egyptian women with infertility

Abstract

Infertility is a challenge affecting many couples worldwide. Despite its significant emotional and physical implications, much attention is given to its medical aspects. This is a case-control investigation aimed to assess the association between infertility and female sexual dysfunctions (FSD), symptoms of depression and anxiety, quality of life (QOL) and dyadic mal adjustment among a sample of female patients diagnosed with infertility. The study was conducted in Ain Shams University Hospitals, Cairo, Egypt. Enrolled cases were selected from the infertility clinic at the hospital with matching controls. Participants were assessed according to their sociodemographic data and the past medical, history. They were also assessed by FSFI, A-RDAS, PHQ-9 and GAD-7. Cases only were assessed according to the FertiQoL. Women with infertility had significantly lower sexual function scores on FSFI, on all domains. Regarding marital adjustment using A- RDAS the results were significantly lower among cases compared with controls (p = 0.02). With respect to the psychiatric outcomes, differences were evident in screening for Depression (p < 0.001). A similar pattern emerged for anxiety severity (p < 0.001). Among all studied variables, infertility status emerged as the strongest predictor of sexual dysfunction(S) (β = − 10.23, p < 0.001). Relationship quality (A-RDAS score) showed a positive trend (β = 0.08, p = 0.051), suggesting a potential protective effect of higher dyadic adjustment. Infertility is significantly associated with a universal sexual dysfunction, significant relationship distress, elevated psychological symptoms, and reduced quality of life.