Impact of Interventions on Sexual Function in Women with Infertility: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesize the evidence on the effectiveness of pharmacological, non-pharmacological, and complementary interventions for improving sexual function in women with infertility. Databases searched included PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and ULAKBIM up to January 2026. Data were pooled using Review Manager 5.4 with random-effects models in the presence of heterogeneity. Sexual function outcomes were measured with validated instruments and reported as standardized mean differences (SMDs). Risk of bias was assessed with RoB 2 for RCTs and ROBINS-I for non-randomized studies. A meta-analysis of 11 studies (n = 722) showed no baseline differences in sexual function between intervention and control groups (SMD = -0.07; p = 0.64). Post-intervention, interventions significantly improved sexual function (SMD = 1.53; p < 0.00001), with the largest effects observed for sex therapy-based and pharmacological/herbal interventions. Psychotherapeutic and counseling/education-based interventions also showed significant benefits, while behavioral/lifestyle interventions were not effective. Both short- and long-term interventions were effective, and results were consistent across study designs, although non-randomized trials had higher risk of bias. Interventions are associated with improvements in sexual function among infertile women. More pronounced effects were observed for sex therapy-based and pharmacological/herbal approaches, while psychotherapeutic and counseling interventions also demonstrated beneficial effects.