"Infertility is a vital crisis for the couple and can affect the experience of sexuality of men and women, although many infertile couples do not present alterations or face them successfully". This is what Cristina López del Burgo, professor of department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health of the University of Navarra and researcher of the project 'Education of affectivity and human sexuality' of the Institute for Culture and Society (ICS). This conclusion is framed in a review work that she has recently carried out.

From agreement with the researcher, "although some sexual dysfunctions can cause infertility, it is more common to find sexual dysfunctions as a consequence of infertility". She considers that "the 'obligation' to have sex during the fertile period in order to achieve pregnancy can cause both men and women to stop perceiving sex as a way of connecting and enjoying with their partner".

It also points out that "the diagnostic and therapeutic processes entail a loss of intimacy for the couple, who are exposed to staff health care". He adds that "all these circumstances, together with the emotional imbalances inherent to the vital crisis that infertility entails and the side effects of some treatments, can lead to a decrease in sexual desire and other dysfunctions, such as erection and ejaculation problems in men, or problems in achieving orgasm in women".

Shortage of research in males

From agreement with Dr. López del Burgo, one of the findings of the literature review is "the scarcity of programs of study on the experience of infertility by men compared to the multitude of programs of study on women, both in the biological, psychological and social spheres".

He says that although traditionally reproduction has tended to focus on the woman, infertility affects the couple as a unit: "Men also suffer this vital crisis, with the added difficulty of, on occasions, seeing their masculinity questioned as the erroneous belief persists in society that male infertility is synonymous with erectile dysfunction".

Comprehensive approach to the infertile couple

Given the evidence that infertility can lead to some sexual problems and/or dysfunctions, he stresses that "it is necessary to remind professionals that the assessment of the infertile couple has to be truly comprehensive. That is, it has to include not only the biological/medical aspects, but also the psychological, sexual and social aspects of infertility".

He recalls that although there are already guidelines and protocols for the care of infertile couples, most of them are expressly aimed at couples who resort to assisted reproductive therapies. Therefore, it proposes "developing specific recommendations for couples who decide on other options", as well as "identifying the existence of sexual dysfunctions in some couples is useful for developing an appropriate therapeutic approach for each of them, including psychological and sexological support".

Cristina López del Burgo has a degree and PhD in Medicine from the University of Navarra and is a specialist, via spanish medical residency program, in Family and Community Medicine. She is currently full professor of Preventive Medicine and Public Health at the University of Navarra. She teaches teaching mainly in Epidemiology and Human Sexuality to students of Medicine, Science and Psychology.

His research field is focused on family planning, fertility and sexuality. She has made several stays of research in U.S. centers. She has recently completed the Master's Degree in Sexual Health and Clinical Sexology of the School of Psychology of the UNED.