The effect of infertility-related distress and marital adjustment on sexual dysfunction in women: a mixed methods study

İngilizce (OpenAlex)

To investigate the effects of infertility-related distress and marital adjustment on sexual dysfunction. The research was carried out in two stages using a mixed method, both quantitatively with 242 and qualitatively with 12 infertile women. Characteristics of women questionnaire, the Infertility Distress Scale, Marital Adjustment Test, Female Sexual Function Index, and semi-structured interview form were used for data collection. The study found that smoking, husband’s unemployment, and duration of wanting children led to an increase in infertility stress and decrease in marital harmony. Likewise, infertility treatment history, spouse’s unemployment, paying all treatment expenses personally, and concerns about adoption were found to affect sexual functions. In this study, women’s sexual functions were positively related to marital adjustment and negatively related to infertility stress. Qualitative data analysis identified four main themes: the implications of infertility, infertility on treatment, infertility on marriage, and infertility on sexuality. Women reported that their sex life suffered during diagnosis and treatment, with intercourse becoming a duty solely for conception, making them feel like robots. Health care providers should recognize the factors affecting women’s sexual lives in infertility clinics.