Does Prevalence of Female Sexual Dysfunction Differ among Infertile Patients with or without Polycystic Ovary Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: While the effects of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and infertility on women's health have often been discussed, not many studies have assessed the other complications of infertility. One of these complications is female sexual dysfunction (FSD), a range of psychosexual disorders. The aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of FSD in PCOS and its comparison with other causes of infertility.

Materials and methods: In this cross-sectional study, two questionnaires were filled out by two groups (60 people each) of infertile patients, due to PCOS and other causes, referred to Arash Women's Hospital from December 2018 to 2019. The data was analyzed in SPSS software to evaluate the frequency of FSD in the whole study population and each group separately as well as its relationship with age, history of pregnancy, the literacy level of the patient or spouse, body mass index (BMI), infertility duration, hirsutism, and acne.

Results: The frequency of FSD in the study group had a significant inverse relationship with the women's level of education (P=0.044), although no such correlation was found with age, pregnancy history, spouse's literacy level, BMI, duration of infertility, acne, and hirsutism. In the comparison group, there was a significant relationship between the duration of infertility and FSD (P=0.002). The prevalence of FSD in the study and comparison groups was 43.1 and 52%, respectively. The prevalence of FSD sub-domains in all categories, except for pain, was higher in the study group. PCOS, compared to other groups, presented at a relatively younger age.

Conclusion: In the PCOS group, patients with lower education levels were more likely to suffer from FSD. This suggests the effect of education and awareness on the sexual performance of these people. No significant difference in FSD experience was found between PCOS and other groups.