The Effect of Sexual Counseling and Education Approaches on Improving the Sexual Function of Infertile Women: A Systematic Review of Clinical Trials in Iran

Background and purpose: Sexual health is a vital part of the life of infertile couples and is influenced by many factors. The psychological consequences of infertility can negatively affect sexual function. Several medical societies have strongly recommended psychological interventions, including counseling and education, to help infertile couples. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of sexual counseling and education approaches on improving the sexual function of infertile women in Iran. Materials and methods: The present systematic review, conducted based on the PRISMA guide, Embase, Cochrane Library, PubMed, Scopus, web of Sciences, Magiran, and SID databases, was searched until April 2023 by English and Persian languages. All randomized clinical trials that evaluated the effect of educational or counseling interventions on improving the sexual function of infertile women in Iran were included in this review. The outcome measure was the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Results: From a total of 365 studies found through the search, 13 randomized clinical trials involving 693 infertile women were systematically reviewed. According to the review of studies, cognitive-behavioral therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, sexual health model, PLISSIT model, BETTER model, communication skills training, and transactional analysis therapy have been used in the field of improving the sexual function of infertile women. Conclusion: Counseling and sexual education approaches improve sexual performance. But according to the type of counseling or education, the improvement of sexual function dimensions is different. It is suggested that more studies be conducted in the future in the field of comparing these approaches with each other and their long-term effects on infertile women in Iran.