title: Sexual dysfunction and depression among Turkish women with infertile husbands: the invisible part of the iceberg.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of male infertility on the sexual functions and level of depression among Turkish women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-six women with an infertile partner (exposed) and 48 women who conceived and gave birth without treatment (unexposed) were included in this study. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) were used to determine sexual function and depression status. Statistical analyses were performed by independent samples t, Fischer's exact, and Mann-Whitney U tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in terms of demographic characteristics between groups except that unexposed women had received education for longer period of time (11.6 vs. 7.1 years, p = 0.001). Mean FSFI scores were 19.1 ± 5.5 for the exposed and 20.0 ± 3.4 for the unexposed group. The scores of sexual desire domain (3.4 ± 1.2 vs. 2.7 ± 1.2, p < 0.05), sexual dysfunction in the axis of lubrication (3.6 ± 1.4 vs. 4.0 ± 0.2, p = 0.039), and pain (4.1 ± 1.9 vs. 5.4 ± 0.8, p = 0.001) were found to be significantly higher in women with an infertile partner. According to BDI scores, these women were feeling more depressed (9.7 ± 7.3 vs. 1.4 ± 2.8, p = 0.001) than the unexposed group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Comparison of these groups indicated similar levels of sexual dysfunction. Nonetheless, we found that women with infertile partners experienced sexual problems related to lubrication and pain, even though they were in the initial stages of the treatment process for infertility. Exposed group had also higher level of depression than the unexposed group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Acibadem Bakirkoy Hospital, Acibadem University, Halit Ziya Usakligil Cad. No: 1, 34140, Bakirkoy, Istanbul, Turkey. burakozkandoc@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Burak
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ozkan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Acibadem Bakirkoy Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. elchynorhan@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Elcın
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Orhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Acibadem Bakirkoy Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey. dr.nesli_79@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Neslıhan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aktas
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, Acibadem Bakirkoy Hospital, Acibadem University, Halit Ziya Usakligil Cad. No: 1, 34140, Bakirkoy, Istanbul, Turkey. enisraufcoskuner@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Enıs Rauf
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Coskuner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018454:Spouses; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014421:Turkey / Q000453:epidemiology; D014930:Women / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Depression; Infertility; Sexual dysfunction; Turkish women