Abstract :Background: Infertility is a global reproductive issue for both sexes often neglected and not
discussed in public.
Aim: To assess the psychosocial and sexual problems associated with female infertilityin
Ogbomoso,Oyo State Nigeria.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional study among consented infertile women attendingthe teaching,
general and private hospitals in Ogbomoso. The instrument of the survey was a pre-tested structured,
questionnaire. Analysis of data was by computer using SPSS version 20.
Results: One hundred and eighty-nine respondents were interviewed. The mean age of the
respondents was 35.0 ± 5.5 years. Almost half (46%) of the participants had tertiary education and
27% of them were professionals. Statistically significant correlation exists between the age group
(p=0.001), the educational status (p=0.023) and the duration of infertility. Among the respondents,
64.02% assumed cause of infertility was act of God, 21.2% biological factors, 11.6% and 3.2%
indicated punishment for past sins and witchcraft respectively. Among the respondents, 57.7% and
54.5% were found to have anxiety and depression respectively.
The prevalence of sexual function disorders among the study participants was 80.4%, 84.7%, 86.3%,
77.2%, 64% and 61.4% for desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and painful penetration
respectively while 59.8% were found to have female sexual dysfunction.
Conclusion: Apart from being infertile, women were vulnerable to psychological distress and
sexual dysfunction which could worsen their overall health condition. The high rate of anxiety and
depression recorded in this study confirmed the high premium placed on childbearing and the
burden associated with failure to meet this expectation.