Impact of assisted reproduction treatment on sexual function of patients diagnosed with infertility

This study aims to update and systematize the existing evidence on the prevalence of sexual dysfunction and depression in infertile couple Renatos undergoing assisted reproduction treatments.

A bibliographic search regarding sexual dysfunction in infertile couples was performed on PubMed and LILACS, with no restrictions on the date of publication of the article. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS) was used to evaluate studies quality. Data collection process was conducted using a form previously planned and tested, extracting the goal information in a descriptive way.

From 111 records, only eight prospective studies were included in the synthesis. Although most of the selected studies assessed only women, three studies assessed the couple. All of them used questionnaires that showed that infertile couples experienced a higher number of sexual dysfunctions during the infertility treatment process, especially women. Regarding depression, going through the infertility process and its treatment leads to significant emotional damage to the patient or couple.

Of the eight studies analyzed, six reached the conclusion that infertility is related to higher rates of sexual dysfunction. Seven studies also concluded that anxiety and depression are more prevalent in infertile patients. The treatment of sexual dysfunction is multidisciplinary, with the team being a general practitioner, gynecologist, psychologist and specialized nurse. If an organic disorder is detected, there may be a need to include specialists such as urology, gastroenterology and anesthesia. Psychological approaches often include some combination of sex education, identification of emotional and cultural factors, and eventually, couples therapy.