Investigating the Effect of Stress Management Counseling on the Sexual Function of Infertile Women

Background: Sexual dysfunction is one of the most common causes of family breakdown. In recent years, different approaches have been used to solve this problem. Due to the negative effects of sexual dysfunction in women and its complications. Objective: The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of stress management counseling on the sexual function of infertile women referred to Fatemieh Hospital in Hamadan. Methods: The present study was conducted as a randomized two-group clinical trial with two pretest and post-test stages on 104 eligible women referring to Fatemieh Hospital in Hamadan in 2017-2018. Intervention group subjects received 4 two-hour group counseling sessions with a cognitive-behavioral approach on sexual issues. Data were obtained using two questionnaires of demographic characteristics and the Female Sexual Function Index. To analyze the data, SPSS version 21 software and paired t-test, independent t-test, and analysis of covariance were used. The level of significance was considered to be less than 0.05. Results: The results of the present study showed that the mean scores in all areas of total sexual function did not differ significantly before the intervention in two groups. However, after stress management counseling, a significant increase was observed in all areas and general sexual function in the intervention group compared to the control group (P <0.05). Conclusion: Stress management counseling in infertile women can play a positive and effective role in improving sexual function. Therefore, the effectiveness of this counseling in promoting sexual function can be confirmed with more confidence.