A literature review on the relationship between infertility and sexual dysfunction: does fun end with baby making?

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the relationship between infertility and sexuality, and the effect of assisted reproductive technology (ART) on a couple's sexual relationship.

METHOD

The literature review is a result of a search that was undertaken with the keywords 'infertility' and 'sexuality' in PubMed from 2000 until 2013.

RESULTS

Even though abstinence or inadequate sexual activity are often reported in infertile couples, sexual disorders rarely cause infertility. They usually arise, instead, as a result of involuntary childlessness and assisted reproduction. Qualitative studies provide a detailed description of the impact of infertility and its treatment on the couples' sexual relationship, along with its specific gender effects, yet it is difficult to set standardised parameters to quantify sexual strain and the reliability of the studies available is limited by major drawbacks.

CONCLUSIONS

Appropriate measures should be designed to identify sexual disorders in infertile couples, and the medical team should be trained to deal systematically with the couple's sexuality and propose strategies to overcome sexual disturbances. This approach could preserve the quality of the couple's sexual relationship and maximise pregnancy chances in ART.