title: Sexual function and stress level of male partners of infertile couples during the fertile period.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the sexual function and stress level during timed intercourse (TI) of male partners of infertile couples.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 236 male partners of couples with >1 year of infertility who sought medical care or an evaluation of couple infertility. Besides infertility evaluation, all men were asked to complete the five-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) for evaluation of sexual function, and stresses related to infertility and TI were measured using 10-division visual analogue scales (VAS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stress levels for sexual function were higher during fertile than non-fertile periods in109 of the 236 (46.2%) male partners, with 122 (51.7%) reporting no difference in stress during fertile and non-fertile periods. The mean (sd) VAS score of sexual relationship stress was significantly higher during fertile than non-fertile periods, at 3.4 (2.6) vs 2.1 (2.2) (P < 0.001). Of the 236 men, 21 (8.9%) reported more than mild-to-moderate erectile dysfunction (ED; IIEF-5 score ≤16) and 99 (42%) reported mild ED (IIEF-5 score 17-21).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Male partners of infertile couples experience significantly higher TI-related stresses during the fertile period compared with the non-fertile period. Sexual dysfunction is also common in male partners of infertile couples. Medical personnel dealing with infertile couples should be aware of these potential problems in male partners and provide appropriate counselling.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Fertility Center, CHA Gangnam Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung-Hun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Fertility Center, CHA Gangnam Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Suk
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fertility Center, CHA Gangnam Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Tae Ki
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, CHA University, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Yup
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Han
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Shim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000523:psychology; D046910:Fertile Period / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D012747:Sexual Partners / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D064232:Visual Analog Scale
keywords: erectile dysfunction; infertility; stress; timed intercourse