A study on the relationship of sexual satisfaction and common contraceptive methods employed by the couples

BACKGROUND: Sexual relationship is a basis for mental health and continuity of the healthy generation. Enjoying the healthy body and mind will cause the sexual relationships to run their normal course in life. One of the problems that couples are faced within their sexual relationships is the issue of employing family planning methods. Studies have revealed that contraceptive methods are in connection with the sexual function and health in different ways. This study was aimed to determine the mean and the relation of scores of sexual satisfaction of men and women with the common contraceptive methods. METHODS: This was a descriptive-correlative study. Samples included 280 individuals (140 couples) to use the common contraceptive methods including withdrawal method, tubal ligation in women, oral contraceptive method, condom, vasectomy, IUD and injection contraceptive method. Tools for gathering the data were Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and the questionnaire provided by Dr. Abdo on sexual satisfaction in men in 2004. The validity and reliability of these questionnaires were approved by researches conducted in worldwide and Iran. Descriptive and inferential statistic methods were applied in analyzing the data. RESULTS: The results suggested a significant statistic relation between scores of men's sexual satisfaction and separate contraceptive methods (p = 0.001) whereas this relation was not observed between the women's scores of sexual satisfaction and the contraceptive methods. CONCLUSIONS: According to the results of the present study, training family planning counselors in relation to choose suitable contraceptive method, in view of its probable effects on the couple's sexual satisfaction, seems essential.