Effects of sexual dysfunction on fertility-related quality of life of oneself and the partner in infertile Chinese couples

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of sexual dysfunction among infertile Chinese couples, and the effects of sexual dysfunction on fertility-related quality of life of oneself and the partner among these couples. Design and methods:We recruited 251 infertile Chinese couples. These couples were seeking assisted conception treatents including artificial insemination and in vitro fertilisation at the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong and Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong. Sexual dysfunction in the female partner was measured by the validated Chinese version of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), and that in the male partner by the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction (IIEF-5) question- naires. Female sexual dysfunction was defined as FSFI score of <=23.45 (previously validated value for Chinese), and male erectile dysfunction as IIEF-5 score of <22. Fertility-related quality of life was measured by the Core FertiQoL tool and its constituent subscales. Results: Among our studied couples with complete data, 60 (24.3%) women had FSFI score <=23.45, and 101 (40.2%) had IIEF-5 score <22. IIEF-5 in men was significantly correlated to the total score ( p=.007) as well as the arousal (p=.006), orgasm (p=.041) and satisfaction (p=.002) domains of the FSFI of their female partners. Women with sexual dysfunction (FSFI<=23.45) had significantly lower scores of Core FertiQoL (p=.007) as well as its relational (p<.001) and social (p=.033) subscales than those without sexual dysfunction (FSFI>23.45); however, their male partners’ Core FertiQoL and all its subscales did not differ significantly (p>0.05) between those couples with and without female sexual dysfunction. On the other hand, men with erectile dysfunction (IIEF-5<22) had significantly lower scores of Core FertiQoL and all its subscales (emotional, mind-body, relational and social) than those without (IIEF- 5>=22) (p<.001); however, their female partners’ Core FertilQoL and all its subscales did not differ significantly (p>.05) between couples with and without male erectile dysfunction. Conclusions:Among Chinese infertile couples, both male and female sexual dysfunction was common. Presence of male erectile dysfunction was significantly associated with female sexual function. Sexual dysfunction in either men or women significantly influence the fertility-related quality of life of their own but not that of their partners.