Abstract
BackgroundMany infertile couples might experience erectile dysfunction (ED) and significant changes in the quality of sexual life and psychological state though information is limited in secondary infertile men in China. To determine whether primary or secondary infertility is associated with ED, psychological disorders, and sexual performance.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional survey conducted at the Dongzhimen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (06/2019-01/2020). The participants completed a questionnaire including general information, sexual life, simplified International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GAD-7). Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with ED, depression, and anxiety.ResultsED was more frequent in secondary vs. primary infertility (46.5 % vs. 26.7 %, P < 0.001). Compared with men with primary infertility, those with secondary infertility showed lower IIEF-5 scores (P < 0.001), higher occurrence of TOIF (P = 0.001), had a higher awareness of partner’s ovulation when having ED (P = 0.001), lower GAD-7 scores (P = 0.016), lower libido (P = 0.005), fewer intercourses per month (P = 0.001) and a lower sexual satisfaction score (P = 0.027). In the multivariate analysis, primary infertility was found to be an independent risk factor of anxiety (OR: 1.812, 95 %CI: 1.015–3.236). Some overlap is observed in factors associated with ED, psychological disorders, and sexual performance between primary and secondary infertility, but some factors are distinct.ConclusionsThe prevalence of ED in secondary infertility men was higher than that of primary infertility men, and the quality of sexual life was decreased. Primary infertility is an independent risk factor of anxiety.
Highlights
Infertility is the inability to conceive after 1 year of unprotected sexual intercourse [1,2,3]
Some overlap is observed in factors associated with erectile dysfunction (ED), psychological disorders, and sexual performance between primary and secondary infertility, but some factors are distinct
The present study showed that the male partners in the secondary infertility group showed worse sexual function and significantly lower quality of sexual life compared with the males in the primary infertility group
Summary
Infertility is the inability to conceive after 1 year of unprotected sexual intercourse [1,2,3]. Many infertile couples will experience multiple problems, especially significant changes in the quality of sexual life and psychological state [5,6,7]. Previous studies showed that the incidence of erectile dysfunction (ED) in men with infertility is higher than that in the general population [8,9,10]. Infertile men often experience depression and anxiety due to self-inflicted, couple, and social pressure [11, 12]. There is limited information on the incidence and related risk factors of ED, depression, and anxiety in secondary infertile men in China. Many infertile couples might experience erectile dysfunction (ED) and significant changes in the quality of sexual life and psychological state though information is limited in secondary infertile men in China. To determine whether primary or secondary infertility is associated with ED, psychological disorders, and sexual performance
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