Does sexuality still have a place for couples treated with assisted reproductive techniques?

Method. - This research enabled us to study the links between the diagnosis of infertility, medical care and the sexuality of the couples treated with Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART). Questionnaire/patients. - The impact of infertility has been observed in various fields related to sexual intercourse: sexual desire and satisfaction, frequency of intercourse, sexual disorders as well as marital relationship and more generally the patient's experience of this medical follow-up. These effects were studied in the tight of various factors, such as sex and age, number of children and years of ART as well as the type of protocol and the origin of infertility. Results. - Our study reveals that the marital relationship is preserved as well as the pleasure felt during intercourse. However, the couples express a reduction of their sexual desire, linked to a loss of spontaneity that can be related to the strategies they set up to maximize their chances of pregnancy and to medical care. (C) 2009 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.