The relation between infertility factor and sexual functioning, perceived social support and adherence to treatment in infertile women

Background: In some societies, childbearing is a part of women’s identity and infertile women are under a great amount of pressure from others. The present study was conducted to evaluate the relation between infertility factor and sexual functioning, perceived social support and adherence to treatment in infertile women. Methods In the present descriptive analytical cross-sectional stud, 230 infertile women who referred to the infertility center of Shahrekord during 2022 were enrolled using convenient sampling method. Data were collected using demographic characteristics checklist, Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and General Adherence Scale (GAS) and were analyzed using SPSS software and chi square test, independent t test, one-way variance analysis, Tukey post hoc test and Pearson correlation coefficient. Results There was no significant relation between infertility factor and the mean score of sexual functioning. Among the aspects of sexual functioning, only the mean score of lubrication in the group of male factors was significantly higher than the common factors for men and women (p = 0.07). There was also no significant relation between infertility factor and the mean score of perceived social support and the mean score of adherence to treatment (p > 0.05). There was a linear positive relation between sexual functioning (r = 0.189), perceived social support (r = 0.200) and adherence to treatment (r = 0.146) in infertile women. Conclusions Results showed no significant relation between sexual functioning, perceived social support and adherence to treatment with infertility factor in infertile women.