Prevalence of female sexual dysfunction (FSD)‎ in women attending a hospital-based infertility clinic : a cross-sectional observational study from Egypt

Abstract EN

ntroduction: Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is a socio-medical problem.

The prevalence of FSD varies widely across cultures and is associated with different demographic characteristics.

Additionally, infertility clearly influences the sexual functioning and sexual health of women in numerous ways.

Aim: The current study assessed the prevalence of female sexual function among women attending the infertility clinic for consultation and treatment.

Methods: The study sample included 305 married women who attended the infertility clinic at the Mansoura University Hospitals in Mansoura, Egypt.

Psychiatrists interviewed all participants.

Those with history of mental or psychiatric disorder were excluded.

Participants completed the Arabic version of the Female Sexual Function Index (ArFSFI) and Fertility Quality of Life questionnaire (FertiQoL).

Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS software version 20.

Main Outcome Measures: The main problems of female sexual dysfunction were assessed using FSFI.

Results: The mean age of the selected sample was 29.2 ± 6 Years.

The mean BMI was 31.6±5.9.

There were 36 (11.8%) circumcised subjects and 269 (87.7%) uncircumcised.

The mean FSFI score of 28.62 was adopted as the cutoff for diagnosis of FSD.

FSFI revealed 268 (88%) women had sexual dysfunction and 37 (12%) had no sexual problems.

Most of the FSFI sub scores were lowered.

Statistically significant differences existed between the participants with sexual dysfunction complaints and those with no sexual dysfunction especially on the FertiQoL indicating that FSD affects infertility in a negative way.

Conclusions: FSD is highly prevalent among participants of the current study.

Moreover, quality of life is also affected among the study group with sexual dysfunction