The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Female Sexual Function.

Anna Fuchs,Joanna Pilarska,Aleksandra Matonóg,Rafał Stojko,Jakub Bodziony,Agnieszka Drosdzol-Cop,Agnieszka Dulska,Paulina Sieradzka,Mateusz Szul

doi:10.3390/ijerph19063349

Abstract

Introduction: The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic affected many aspects of life involving sexual functioning. Methods: This prospective, noninterventional, observational research was performed from July 2020 to August 2020, involving a total of 644 patients. Female sexual function index (FSFI) scores of those women were compared in relation to results of our research from April 2020. Questionnaires were collected concerning socio-demographic characteristics of patients as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their lives. Results: Every domain significantly decreased in the first month of the lockdown. Before the pandemic, the total FSFI was reported at 30.1 ± 4.4, while in the first month of the pandemic it was at 25.8 ± 9.7 (p < 0.001). The lowest FSFI score was reported by women who lived in average conditions. There was a statistically significant increase in the overall FSFI score in the fifth month of the pandemic (27.5 ± 6.8) when compared to the FSFI score in the first month of the pandemic (25.8 ± 9.7). The scores in arousal, lubrication, orgasm and pain were reported as higher (respectively p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.05), while desire was reported lower (p < 0.001). The satisfaction score remained almost the same (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our study indicates a significant decrease in FSFI scores across all domains. There are still many questions whether the statue from the vaccinated person or convalescents affects the sense of security and, thus, increases sexual satisfaction.

Highlights

As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continued, the government resigned from further restrictions, public places were opened, and many people returned to stationary work and normal habits
Our study aims to investigate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on female sexual functioning in Poland just after the initial lockdown and five months later, comparing both of them
The main finding of our study was the important influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on sexuality among Polish women

Summary

Introduction

Social distancing, masks and gloves became the new reality. The rate of depression in the world population in 2017 was 3.4%, but the latest data claim that the prevalence of this mental illness during the lockdown could be even seven times higher. The first weeks and months of the pandemic had an especially exceptional impact on the human psyche, because at the beginning of the lockdown, people experienced unexpected changes in their lives. As the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continued, the government resigned from further restrictions, public places were opened, and many people returned to stationary work and normal habits. Life slowly began to resemble that of before the pandemic and people began to become used to the new reality [1]

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