ORIGINAL RESEARCH—COUPLES’ SEXUAL DYSFUNCTIONS: Sexual Disorders in Infertile Couples
Abstract
Introduction: Sexuality and the desire for a child are strongly interconnected. The same applies to sexual disorders and the unfulfilled desire for a child. Aim: This article indicates the relations between sexual disorders and the unfulfilled desire for a child and outlines the potential effects of diagnostics and treatment in the context of reproductive medicine on the couples’ sexuality. Methods: A research drive was undertaken in well-established medical and psychological literature database with the keywords “infertile” or “infertility” and “sexual dysfunction” or “sexual satisfaction.” Results: Sexual dysfunctions (of organic or of psychic origin) as a cause of involuntary childlessness are relatively unusual. By contrast (temporary) sexual disorders resulting from diagnosis and medical therapy are common in couples with fertility problems, with women more frequently affected than men. Conclusions: Counseling for couples with the unfulfilled desire for a child should invariably include explicit and appropriately tactful reference to sexuality and (functional) sexual disorders by the therapist.
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Infertility can badly affect the couple's sexual life.
“Infertility can also badly affect the couple ' s sexual life [5].”
From Sexual satisfaction and self-esteem in women with primary infertility (2020) · cites this paper as [5]
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- Authors
- Wischmann, T. H.
- Affiliations
- University Hospital Heidelberg (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Wischmann, Tewes H.
- ORCID
- Wischmann, Tewes H.
- Venue
- The Journal of Sexual Medicine
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2010-05-01
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1868-1876
- ISSN
- 1743-6095 (ISSN-L)
- 1743-6109
- OpenAlex
- W1542935996
- Cited by
- 140
- References
- 55
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 13
- FWCI
- 1.57
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- academic.oup.com/journals/pages/open_access/funder_policies/chorus/standard_publication_model (vor)
- Locations
- The Journal of Sexual Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Sexual function and dysfunction studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Reproductive Medicine › Reproductive Health and Technologies
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology
- Keywords
- sexual dysfunction, infertility, couples, involuntary childlessness, sexual satisfaction, reproductive medicine, couple counseling, gender differences
- MeSH terms
- Female, Humans, Infertility, Female, Infertility, Male, Male, Pregnancy, Sex Counseling, Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological, Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological, Reproductive Behavior
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