Abstract
Study question
Are there any differences relating to the perceived quality of life (QoL) and sexual satisfaction among infertile women?
Summary answer
There were no differences between women who already had a baby and those who did not relating to the perceived QoL and sexual satisfaction.
What is known already
Infertility is a medical disease with a high social component with a 16% prevalence. There have been many investigations regarding to the physical part of the infertility but the sexual and marital satisfaction has not been as intensively investigated. The importance of the psychological counseling in fertility treatments has already been proven, but the significance of sexual satisfaction on individual’s perception on QoL has not been as deeply studied.
Study design, size, duration
A transversal descriptive study was done. 313 heterosexual married women with fertility problems were recruited in collaboration with the Spanish patient association “Red Nacional de Infértiles”. The Fertility quality of life tool (FertiQoL) was selected to measure the perceived QoL and the Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS) was chosen to study the degree of sexual satisfaction. The data collection was made between January and February 2020 and all the information was gathered online.
Participants/materials, setting, methods
313 women filled the questionnaire which had 4 different modules: A sociodemographic module (sex, age, studies, time trying to conceive, moment of treatment and offspring), two modules for each measurement instrument and a last module in which they could write their personal experiences regarding to the infertility journey. ANOVA and t-Student statistical analyses were done to compare the different independent variables. To see if FertiQoL could explain the sexual satisfaction a regression analysis was made.
Main results and the role of chance
To achieve 95% power (α = 0.05) and an effect size of 0.25, a minimum sample size of 210 was needed and a sample of 313 women was recruited. There were no statistical differences between women with previous offspring and those who did not in neither of the FertiQoL subscales (Emotional: 7,4 ± 3,884 vs. 7,34 ± 4,235; Mind/Body: 9,65 ± 5,098 vs. 8,66 ± 4,979; Relational: 16,88 ± 4,807 vs. 16,3 ± 4,956; Social: 10,52 ± 5,02 vs. 10,1 ± 4,801; Tolerability: 5,91 ± 4,114 vs. 6,65 ± 3,357; Environment: 12,71 ± 5,02 vs. 11,42 ± 4,963) nor in the ISS questionnaire (47,48 ± 6,488 vs. 47,22 ± 7,35). Regarding to the power of the FertiQoL instrument and the perceived QoL to predict the sexual satisfaction, the regression model showed that the sexual satisfaction could be explained in 26,3% of the cases by the relational and mind/body subscales of the FertiQol tool. This model showed the inherent relationship between marital and personal wellbeing in order to obtain a better sexual satisfaction.
Limitations, reasons for caution
As the study had a transversal design, no cause-effect relationships could be done. It would be desirable to establish a longitudinal study in order to determine a more accurate relationship between the studied variables.
Wider implications of the findings: This study showed that the impact of infertility in women with secondary infertility diagnose could be at least as high as in women with primary infertility diagnose. FertiQoL would be a reasonable instrument to estimate the sexual satisfaction of infertile women. Sexology should be part of the infertility counselling programs.
Trial registration number
Not applicable
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