P-558 The importance of sexual desire for the sexual health of infertile women and men starting their fertility clinic journey
Authors: Dias L , De Loecker P , Custers I , Peeraer K , Dancet E 
Published: June 2023

Abstract

Study question
Is the sexual desire of infertile women and men correlated with their intercourse frequency and sexual satisfaction?

Summary answer
Both partner’s sexual desire is moderately correlated to intercourse frequency and their own sexual satisfaction and weakly correlated to the sexual satisfaction of their partner.

What is known already
Reviews showed that infertile couples have worse sexual health than the general population. Qualitative studies explained that infertile patients feel less attractive and consider intercourse a ‘duty’, associated with failure. Fertility clinics offer diagnosis and treatments but have yet to start caring for sexual health. The Pleasure&Pregnancy-programme, combining psychosexual education with communication, mindfulness and sensate focus exercises, recently proved to increase the sexual desire of infertile women pursuing natural conception. Whether improving sexual desire can be expected to increase the intercourse frequency and sexual satisfaction of women and men about to start fertility treatment had yet to be explored.

Study design, size, duration
A cross-sectional cohort of 140 heterosexual couples (n = 280; response rate 51%) was surveyed between 2019 and 2022. Couples filled out a package questioning their sexual health over the past four weeks at a chosen moment between their first fertility clinic consultation and the end of their diagnostic workup. This package included a questionnaire to be filled out by each partner individually and a couple questionnaire. Non-responders received were reminded.

Participants/materials, setting, methods
Sexual desire and satisfaction of women and men was assessed with subscales of the following valid and reliable questionnaires: Female Sexual Function Index in women (FSFI; the higher, the better) or International Index of Erectile Function in men (IIEF; the higher, the better). Intercourse frequency of couples was assessed with a sexual activity event log. Spearman rho’s correlations assessed associations between sexual desire, sexual satisfaction and coital frequency.

Main results and the role of chance
Responding women and men were in their early thirties and had tried to conceive naturally for 18.2 months, on average. The sexual desire of women (and of men was not correlated (r = 0.116, p = 0.178). Couples had sexual intercourse seven times per month (7.12±4.03), on average. The sexual desire of both women and men was moderately correlated to couple’s intercourse frequency (♀: r = 0.402, p &lt; 0.001; ♂: r = 0.426, p &lt; 0.001). The sexual desire of women was also moderately correlated to their own sexual satisfaction (r = 0.481, p &lt; 0.001) and weakly correlated to the sexual satisfaction of their male partner (r = 0.270, p = 0.001). The sexual desire of men was significantly but weakly correlated to their own sexual satisfaction (r = 0.361, p &lt; 0.001) and the sexual satisfaction of their female partner (r = 0.239, p = 0.005).

Limitations, reasons for caution
The sexual health of the included couples is currently followed-up during fertility treatment. Linear mixed models, taking account of dyads and of multiple assessments, would allow analysing the impact over time of women’s sexual desire whilst taking account of the sexual desire of her male partner and vice-versa.

Wider implications of the findings
Sexual desire seems important for a couple’s coital frequency and both partner’s sexual satisfaction. Examining whether a six-month sexual health programme that improves women’s sexual desire, could in the longer term improve intercourse frequency and especially sexual satisfaction or prevent the deterioration thereof would be interesting.

Trial registration number
not applicable