You may notice changes in the bedroom if you’re struggling with infertility. The diagnosis often introduces physical and emotional stress, making it difficult to enjoy intimacy.

At Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, we understand the challenges of infertility treatments and how they can affect both partners. We want you to know that infertility can be managed and overcome. Your sex life doesn’t have to suffer as you go through this process.

What Causes a Low Libido?

Before we discuss how infertility can impact your sex life, let’s go over some of the things that can affect libido separately from infertility.

Stress is one of the biggest influences on sexual desire. If you’re overwhelmed, your body may stop responding to physical cues. Standard signals of passion from your partner go unnoticed or even trigger additional stress as you worry about reciprocating.

Physical factors such as a lack of exercise, poor diet, or fatigue can also affect sexual wellness. If you’re feeling sluggishness or moodiness and it won’t go away, speak with the team at our fertility clinic about having your hormones assessed. Low testosterone can reduce sexual desire, as can hormonal imbalances such as PCOS and hypothyroidism.

Sometimes, it’s the relationship itself that harms libido. Miscommunication, unresolved conflicts, lack of trust, and even feeling disconnected from your partner can all create emotional blocks in your sexuality.

One 2021 study found that “a wide variety of factors contribute to low libido… but many of these factors are addressable.” The researchers advised that “biological, interpersonal, and psychological” factors must be addressed to protect sexual health.

Infertility’s Impact

Trying to conceive is often stressful. For couples facing infertility, the stress gets compounded. These couples can work with experts like Dr. Gelety at our fertility clinic to complete their families. Still, it’s common to feel emotionally drained and have difficulty balancing fertility treatments’ demands and living life normally.

The emotional turbulence can shift your point of view. If you feel like a failure because you’re having difficulty conceiving, any joy and relaxation from sex or anything else will likely be short-lived. You may also struggle to keep the focus on pleasure if your mind is whirling with negative thoughts about yourself.

However, if you have a partner, don’t shut them out. It’s important to acknowledge these feelings about sex and talk openly. Deepening your connection is one of the best ways to guard your mental health and sex life from the effects of infertility. 

Why Emotions Matter

Infertility, stress, and libido are intricately tied. We have already explained that stress from an infertility diagnosis can affect your sexual function. It’s also true that anticipatory anxiety can alter your bedroom dynamics.

If you worry about the future and how infertility might alter your next moves, sexual thoughts may become alien. Just thinking about finding a fertility clinic can fill you with anxiety. Feeling sexy or full of desire may seem incompatible with thoughts of IVF clinics or your future family.

The stress of infertility then becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. If you aren’t able to relax and enjoy sex, the health of your relationship may suffer. This, in turn, can create further stress, which affects your sexual function.

Managing Infertility Challenges

At Arizona Center for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, we’re more than an IVF clinic. We don’t want you to feel trapped in a cycle of infertility and sexual health. We recognize the unique challenges of infertility, including how it can affect your sex life.

Led by Dr. Gelety, the team at our fertility clinic can help you find balance and explore options for building your family when the time is right.

Everyone has a unique fertility story. Feel free to reach out if you need help on your journey. You don’t have to go through this alone, and we are here to provide compassionate care that meets your family’s needs.

We invite you to contact the clinic and schedule a consultation today or follow us on Facebook. We are committed to providing comprehensive fertility services, from infertility diagnosis and treatment to sexual health support.