Current Research on How Infertility Affects the Sexuality of Men and Women

Objective: To assess data published from 2000 to 2010 on the effect of infertility on the sexual function of men and women. Data Sources: The PubMed, Lilacs and Embase databases were searched for scientific articles assessing the sexual response of couples during infertility treatment. Study Selection: Studies selected for this review were published in English and conducted in human beings; articles included meta-analyses and cross-sectional or cohort studies that used objective measurement tools to quantitatively assess the data. Data Extraction: Seven studies met the inclusion criteria for this review. Data Synthesis: Infertility is a major risk factor for sexual problems in both men and women. Conclusion: Infertile couples are at higher risk of sexual dysfunction than fertile couples. We also describe several recent patents.