Introduction: Coronavirus disease (COVID−19), announced as a pandemic by the World Health Organization, recently has dominated people’s lifestyle. The impact of COVID−19 seems to be relevant to the sexual health as well. Methods: This prospective study was conducted on two occasions involving 764 female patients between March and April 2020—before and during the time of social quarantine. The sexual function was assessed using the Polish version of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Every patient filled out the survey concerning socio-demographic characteristics as well as the influence of SARS-CoV−2 pandemic on their lives. Results: The overall FSFI score before the pandemic was 30.1 ± 4.4 and changed to 25.8 ± 9.7 during it. Scores of every domain: desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain decreased as well (p < 0.001). There was statistically significant association between the workplace and the change of FSFI scores before and during COVID−19 pandemic (p < 0.01). We noticed the biggest decrease in FSFI score in the group of women who did not work at all (5.2 ± 9.9). Religion had a statistically important impact on level of anxiety (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The main finding of our study was the influence of COVID−19 pandemic on the quality of sexual lifestyle and frequency of intercourse among Polish women.

Background: To evaluate the effectiveness of pharmacological and non-pharmacological pain relief methods and to compare them. Materials and methods: 258 women were included in the study and interviewed using a questionnaire and the visual analogue scale for pain. They were divided into six groups depending on chosen method of labour pain relief: epidural anaesthesia (EA; n = 42), water immersion and water birth (WB; n = 40), nitrous oxide gas for pain control (G; n = 40), transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) (n = 50), multiple management (MM; n = 42), none (N; n = 44). Results: The average age of the women was 29.4 ± 3.74 years and 60.47% of them were nulliparous (n = 156). Mean values of labour pain intensity were 6.81 ± 2.26 during the first stage of labour; 7.86 ± 2.06 during the second stage, and 3.22 ± 2.46 during the third stage. There was no significant difference in pain level between epidural analgesia and gas groups in the first stage of labour (p = 0.74). Nevertheless, epidural analgesia reduced pain level during the second and third stage (both p < 0.01). The highest satisfaction level pertains to water immersion (n = 38; 95%). Conclusion: Epidural analgesia is the gold standard of labour pain relief, however water birth was found to be associated with the highest satisfaction level of the parturient women. The contentment of childbirth depends not only on the level of experienced pain, but also on the care provided to the parturient during pregnancy and labour.

Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of infertility on the severity of anxiety and depression in infertile couples. Material and methods. This was a cross-sectional study of differences between infertile couples (206 women and 188 men) and fertile couples (n = 190) with symptoms of depression and anxiety, as measured by the Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory. Results. Infertile women (35.44%) scored above the cut-off for severe symptoms of depression, compared with 19.47% of fertile women. In the case of anxiety evaluation there was significant total prevalence among infertile women (15.53%). In the male groups there was a comparable frequency of negative results for depression and anxiety and their intensity. Among Female Infertile, depression occurred most frequently in combined infertility, whilst among Male Infertile in male infertility, with a time-frame of 3–6 years causing the creation and severity of depressive symptoms. Conclusion. The risk factors of depression and anxiety in infertility include: female sex, age over 30, lower level of education, lack of occupational activity, diagnosed male infertility and infertility duration of 3–6 years.

Objectives To evaluate the influence of infertility on the quality of life (QoL) and sexual functioning of infertile couples. Methods The research group consisted of 206 infertile couples and the control group of 190 fertile couples. A specific questionnaire was used as a research tool. It gathered information about socio-demographic features and infertility status, and included validated scales: Short Form-36 Health Survey, Female Sexual Function Index and International Index of Erectile Function. Results The QoL parameters in all categories were generally lower for infertile women than for those of the control group. Clinical sexual dysfunctions were not significantly more common among infertile than fertile women (17.5% versus 12.1%, p = 0.13). Clinically relevant erectile dysfunctions were diagnosed in 23.9% of infertile men and in 13.7% of the controls. Male infertility had the most significant negative effect on men's sexual functioning. Conclusions The risk groups for decreased QoL are infertile women and older subjects with lower education and occupationally inactive. Clinically relevant sexual disorders in the infertile population most frequently affect older men, with a lower educational level and with previously diagnosed male infertility.