COVID-19 survivors: Women regained their ability to breathe, but did they regain their ability to make love?

Rezk, Shymaa M; Saleh, Ahmed A; Dahroug, Marwa M; Aboseif, Asmaa M; Mustafa, Amany I

doi:10.21608/ha.2023.202126.1103

COVID-19 survivors: Women regained their ability to breathe, but did they regain their ability to make love?

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ M.D., Lecturer of Dermatology, Venereology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Egypt

² M.D., Assistant Professor of Dermatology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Egypt.

³ M.D., Lecturer of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Egypt.

⁴ M.B.B.Ch., Department of Dermatology and Andrology, Faculty of Medicine, Benha University, Egypt.

10.21608/ha.2023.202126.1103

Abstract

Background: Lately, the widespread outbreak of the coronavirus disease known as COVID-19 has been responsible for
considerable economic and social devastation. Aim: The current study aimed to assess the effect of COVID-19 on sexual function in a sample of sexually active married Egyptian women.
Patients and Methods: April 2021 to August 2021, 300 sexually active married women who attended the outpatient clinics
at Benha University Hospital voluntarily participated in a survey to gather information regarding their sexual health. Of
these, 150 had previously been infected with COVID-19, and 150 were healthy women with neither close contact with an
infected family member nor a history of COVID-19. This study used two indices Arabic validated form of the female sexual functioning index (FSFI) and the Arabic-validated form of depression, anxiety, and stress score (Depression Anxiety Stress Scales; DASS). Results: In the present study, mean desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction levels as well as FSFI-6 total score showed a significant gradual decrease between healthy and previously infected subjects, respectively (P<0.001 for each). However, pain frequency did not differ significantly among the studied groups. FSFI showed significant negative correlations with age, children number, and age of youngest. Mean depression, anxiety, stress, and DASS significantly increased in healthy and infected subjects, respectively (P<0.001 for each). DASS showed a significant negative correlation with FSFI. Conclusion: The present findings suggested that COVID-19 negatively impacted all female sexual functions and increased depression, anxiety, and stress among most participants. These two indices (sexuality and psychological state) affect one another, and COVID-19 increases these affections. Most women recovered their capacity to breathe adequately after COVID-19 but did not recover their sexual abilities properly.

Keywords