Marital Life after Infertility Diagnosis: Sexual and Intimacy Issues Experienced by Iranian Infertile Couples

Infertility is a life-altering condition that not only affects reproductive capacity but also deeply disrupts emotional intimacy and marital stability in couples. Understanding couples' experiences of changes in marital relationships following infertility can be valuable for healthcare providers' care planning. This study aimed to explain the experiences of infertile couples regarding sexual issues and intimate relationships.

This study was conducted using a qualitative content analysis approach based on the method proposed by Graneheim and Lundman. Data were collected through semistructured interviews with 14 infertile couples using purposive sampling at the infertility treatment center of Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran. Coding and classification of data were performed using MAXQDA 2020.

The results indicated the negative impact of infertility on marital life and intimate relationships between couples, which can be understood by the four categories that emerged from the data: shock to marital life, couple's intimacy downhill, diminished bed-life pleasure, and prescribed, instead of pleasurable sex.

This study highlights the profound impact of infertility on couples' sexual and intimate relationships, emphasizing the need for holistic treatment approaches. Healthcare providers-especially nurses and infertility counselors-should incorporate psychosexual support into routine infertility care. By offering culturally sensitive counseling and facilitating open communication between partners, professionals can help couples preserve emotional intimacy and marital stability throughout the treatment process.