Endometriosis and Infertility: Impact on Sexuality

Valentina Rossi, E. Viozzi, Filippo Maria Nimbi, Francesca Tripodi, Maria Grazia Porpora
In: Klinička psihologija · 2016 · vol. 9(1) , pp. 65 · doi:10.21465/2016-kp-op-0042 · W3100614662
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⚙ AI-generated summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-09 ⓘ

This study found that endometriosis negatively impacts patients' quality of life, sexual functioning, and relationship satisfaction, regardless of fertility status.

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⚙ AI-generated deep summary by claude@2026-06, 2026-06-12 · read from full text ⓘ

This study evaluated quality of life, anxiety, sexual functioning, and relationship satisfaction among 71 women aged 20–50 recruited from an obstetrics/gynecology department in Rome, including 39 with endometriosis and 32 with endometriosis plus infertility. Using standardized questionnaires (WHOQOL-Bref, McCoy Female Sexuality Questionnaire, FSFI, and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale), the authors found that women without infertility reported worse sexual functioning, sexual satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, and quality of life compared with women with endometriosis and infertility, contradicting the hypothesis that infertility drives a worse clinical profile. The paper’s limitation is that it reports cross-sectional associations within a relatively small, single-site sample without detailing causality or controlling for other factors that could influence outcomes. This paper is centrally about endometriosis — specifically how endometriosis relates to sexuality, relationship satisfaction, quality of life, and the (non)role of infertility.

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Abstract

Objective: Endometriosis is a condition that has a great impact on women’s life. One of the most important consequences of the disease is infertility that may exacerbate the psychological, relational and sexual consequences on patients. The aim of the present study was to examine quality of life, anxiety, sexual functioning and relationship satisfaction of women with endometriosis and infertility. Infertility is supposed to be associated with a worse clinical profile. Design and Method: Data were collected on 71 patients (39 women with endometriosis and 32 with endometriosis and infertility) aged between 20 and 50 (M=34.21, SD=8.38), recruited in the Gynecological and Obstetrics department of Policlinico Umberto I, Rome. Participants completed: a socio-demographic questionnaire, the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-Bref for quality of life, the McCoy Female Sexuality Questionnaire (MFS-Q) for sexual and relationship satisfaction, the Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI) for sexual functioning and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) for anxiety symptoms. Results: Women without infertility obtained worse scores: sexual functioning (F(1,69)=10.97 p<.01), sexual (F(1,69)=17.44 p<.001) and relationship satisfaction (F(1,69)=10.18 p<.001) and quality of life (F(1,69)=13.56 p<.001). Conclusions: Contrary to our hypothesis, endometriosis, with or without fertility impairment, has an impact on patients’ relationship, sexuality and quality of life. Therefore, infertility is not the main factor that explains a negative clinical profile. The present study suggests the importance of psychosexual counseling during medical treatment of the disease, and the need of involving partners in the assessment and in the health care decision making.
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Objective

Endometriosis is a condition that has a great impact on women’s life. One of the most important consequences of the disease is infertility that may exacerbate the psychological, relational and sexual consequences on patients. The aim of the present study was to examine quality of life, anxiety, sexual functioning and relationship satisfaction of women with endometriosis and infertility. Infertility is supposed to be associated with a worse clinical profile. Design and Method: Data were collected on 71 patients (39 women with endometriosis and 32 with endometriosis and infertility) aged between 20 and 50 (M=34.21, SD=8.38), recruited in the Gynecological and Obstetrics department of Policlinico Umberto I, Rome. Participants completed: a socio-demographic questionnaire, the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-Bref for quality of life, the McCoy Female Sexuality Questionnaire (MFS-Q) for sexual and relationship satisfaction, the Female Sexual Functioning Index (FSFI) for sexual functioning and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) for anxiety symptoms.

Results

Women without infertility obtained worse scores: sexual functioning (F(1,69)=10.97 p<.01), sexual (F(1,69)=17.44 p<.001) and relationship satisfaction (F(1,69)=10.18 p<.001) and quality of life (F(1,69)=13.56 p<.001).

Conclusions

Contrary to our hypothesis, endometriosis, with or without fertility impairment, has an impact on patients’ relationship, sexuality and quality of life. Therefore, infertility is not the main factor that explains a negative clinical profile. The present study suggests the importance of psychosexual counseling during medical treatment of the disease, and the need of involving partners in the assessment and in the health care decision making. Articles 2025 Vol. 18, No. 1-2 2024 Vol. 17, No. 1-2 2023 Vol. 16, No. 1-2 2022 Vol. 15, No. 1-2 2021 Vol. 14, No. 1-2 2020 Vol. 13, No. 1-2 2019 Vol. 12, No. 1-2 2018 Vol. 11, No. 1-2 2017 Vol. 10, No. 1-2 2016 Vol. 9, No. 2 Vol. 9, No. 1 2015 Vol. 8, No. 2 Vol. 8, No. 1 2014 Vol. 7, No. 1-2 2013 Vol. 6, No. 1-2 2012 Vol. 5, No. 1-2 2011 Vol. 4, No. 1-2 2010 Vol. 3, No. 1-2 2009 Vol. 2, No. 1-2 2008 Vol. 1, No. 1-2 Vol. 18, No. 1-2 2024 Vol. 17, No. 1-2 2023 Vol. 16, No. 1-2 2022 Vol. 15, No. 1-2 2021 Vol. 14, No. 1-2 2020 Vol. 13, No. 1-2 2019 Vol. 12, No. 1-2 2018 Vol. 11, No. 1-2 2017 Vol. 10, No. 1-2 2016 Vol. 9, No. 2 Vol. 9, No. 1 2015 Vol. 8, No. 2 Vol. 8, No. 1 2014 Vol. 7, No. 1-2 2013 Vol. 6, No. 1-2 2012 Vol. 5, No. 1-2 2011 Vol. 4, No. 1-2 2010 Vol. 3, No. 1-2 2009 Vol. 2, No. 1-2 2008 Vol. 1, No. 1-2 Kontakt: Head office NAKLADA SLAP d.o.o. Dr. Franje Tuđmana 33, 10450 Jastrebarsko + 385 (0)1 6281 774 [email protected] NAKLADA SLAP d.o.o. Dr. Franje Tuđmana 33, 10450 Jastrebarsko + 385 (0)1 6281 774 [email protected] Branch office NAKLADA SLAP Centar za edukacije i istraživanja Miramarska cesta 105, 10000 Zagreb + 385 (0)1 6313 044 [email protected] NAKLADA SLAP Centar za edukacije i istraživanja Miramarska cesta 105, 10000 Zagreb + 385 (0)1 6313 044 [email protected]

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