Female sexual dysfunction in Iran: study of prevalence and risk factors

Purpose To assess the prevalence of and risk factors for female sexual dysfunction (FSD) among women in Birjand city, Iran. Methods This cross-sectional population-based survey was conducted in nine areas of Birjand, the provincial center of South Khorasan province and married women aged between 15 and 72 years were included. Data were collected by face-to-face interview and completing a self-administered questionnaire. FSD and related risk factors were assessed. Results A total of 821 women with mean age of 31.5 ± 9.1 were studied. Of them, 694 (84.6 %) had active sexual relationship with their husband, 239 (29.1 %) had less than one intercourse per week, 320 (39 %) did not feel pleasure with their sexual activity and intercourse, 86 (10.5 %) had never attained an orgasm, 604 (73.6 %) had a highly satisfactory relationship with their husband. Conclusions Dissatisfaction and not feeling pleasure with sexual activity was the most common FSD in our study. Further epidemiologic investigation is clearly warranted.