Sexual dysfunction among women of reproductive age: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Available statistics show a high prevalence of sexual dysfunction (SD) among women worldwide. Various factors affect SD among women of reproductive age. Objectives: To evaluate studies on the prevalence and determinants of SD in different parts of the world. Materials and Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus and ProQuest databases were systematically reviewed during 2000–2019. All original articles were reviewed. The STROBE checklist was used to evaluate the quality of the papers. I2 was calculated to determine heterogeneity. Fixed effects and/or random-effects models were applied to estimate the pooled prevalence. Meta-regression analysis was also performed to identify the sources of heterogeneity. Results: Based on the results of the meta-analysis (21 eligible studies), the pooled prevalence with 95% confidence interval of SD was estimated at 50.75% (41.73–59.78). The prevalence of pain and disorders in arousal, sexual desire, lubrication, orgasm, and sexual satisfaction were calculated (39.08%, 48.21%, 50.70%, 37.60%, 40.16%, and 35.02%, respectively). Also, age, depression, low education level, increased duration of the marriage, and the presence of chronic diseases were the highest risk factors for SD. Conclusion: The prevalence of SD in women of reproductive age varies in different countries. Considering the importance of female SD, further studies are needed to facilitate the development of relevant educational interventions. Key words: Sexual dysfunction, Women, Reproductive age