Recurrent implantation failure and sexual function in infertile Iranian women: a comparative cross sectional study

Background Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) which means failing to implant after two or more high-quality embryo transfer cycles, affects 3% to 5% of women worldwide. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between recurrent implantation failure and sexual function in infertile Iranian women. Methods This was a comparative cross-sectional study on 180 infertile Iranian women (90 infertile women with recurrent implantation failure and 90 infertile women who did not start infertility treatment). A demographic questionnaire and the Female Sexual Function Index were used for data collection. Data were analyzed using Chi-square, independent t-test, and multiple linear regression. Results The mean scores of different domains of sexual function (desire, lubrication, arousal, orgasm, pain, and satisfaction) were significantly lower in the group with RIF compared to the group without RIF. The total score of sexual function was significantly lower in the RIF group compared with the group without RIF (23.11 +/- 2.24, vs. 25.99 +/- 2.35, p < 0.001). The overall sexual function scores in women with RIF were 2.65 units lower than women without RIF (p < 0.001). Conclusion The results of this study showed that women with RIF had significantly lower sexual function than that in women without RIF. Therefore, sexual function issues should be treated as an important component of comprehensive care. This study did not measure the impact of economic factors on sexual function, however, the majority of the sample were classified as having weak or moderate economic status and this, along with the high cost of infertility treatments, could potentially have played a role in the participants' experience. This relationship will need to be investigated in future research. Plain Language summary Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) means inability to implant after two or more high-quality embryo transfer cycles. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between recurrent implantation failure and sexual function in infertile Iranian women. In this study, 180 infertile Iranian women (including 90 infertile women with recurrent implantation failure and 90 infertile women with no implantation failure) were recruited. A demographic questionnaire and the Female Sexual Function Index were used for data collection. The mean scores of different domains of sexual function (desire, lubrication, arousal, orgasm, pain, and satisfaction) were significantly lower in the group with recurrent implantation failure compared to the group without. The overall sexual function scores in the RIF group were 2.65 units lower than those of women without RIF. Women experiencing recurrent implantation failure may be at a particular risk of reduced sexual function. Therefore, sexual function issues should be treated as an important component of comprehensive care.

Automated summary

This study aimed to assess the relationship between recurrent implantation failure and sexual function in infertile Iranian women, and found that women with recurrent implantation failure had significantly lower sexual function. Therefore, sexual function issues should be treated as an important component of comprehensive care.