ORIGINAL ARTICLE Rate and related factors of dyspareunia in reproductive age women: a cross-sectional study SS Sobhgol 1 and S Mohammad Alizadeli Charndabee 2 1 Faculty Member of Azad University of Zanjan Branch, Zanjan, Iran and 2 Faculty Member of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran This study was conducted to determine rate and related factors of dyspareunia. Three hundred and nineteen women aged 15–49 years were surveyed. A questionnaire was used to collect data. Pelvic examinations and connective tissue disorders were investigated. At whole 54.5% had dyspareunia. The means of gravidity, parity, delivery without episiotomy and vaginal length were more in women with dyspareunia. Heavy lifting, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease, arthritis, constipation, pelvic organ prolapse and pelvic muscle strength had significant relation to dyspareunia. The prevalence of urinary infection, stress incontinence, urgency, positional changes to start or complete voiding, fecal straining, low back pain, digital manipulation of vagina, perineum or anus to complete defecation, feeling genital pain or pressure and sensation of a mass in vagina was more in women with dyspareunia. These factors can be considered in the evaluation of women, to prevent those at risk and also have better management of this disorder. International Journal of Impotence Research (2007) 19, 88–94. doi:10.1038/sj.ijir.3901495; published online 22 June 2006 Keywords: rate; related factors; sexual dysfunction; dyspareunia Introduction Sexual dysfunction is highly prevalent in today’s society 1 and it is still an important public health concern. 2 Male sexual disorders have received considerable attention, leading to a multitude of treatment options. On the other hand, female sexual dysfunction has gone vastly underreported and untreated. 1 Dyspareunia as a sexual dysfunction is defined genital pain experienced before, during or after sexual intercourse. 3 In a study of primary care practice, the prevalence of dyspareunia was 46 percent among sexually active women, with dyspar- eunia defined as pain during or after intercourse, whereas many of those with persistent symptoms do not seek medical attention. There are few reports of clinical trails relating to dyspareunia and much of the literature derives from expert opinion. The lack of a single etiology for the pain contributes to the diagnosis difficulty. The identification of the initiat- ing and promulgating factors is essential in reaching a successful diagnosis. 3 As women in reproductive age experience different conditions compared with those in menopausal ages physiologically, so we conducted this study to determine rate and related factors of dyspareunia in reproductive age women. Materials and methods This was a cross-sectional study, which was carried out in 2003, Tabriz, Iran. Three hundred and nine- teen women aged 15–49 years, married, non-preg- nant, non-breastfeeding and those who were not within 6 weeks postpartum, referred to two Alzahra and Talaghanee clinics, with easy sampling were surveyed. Informed consent was obtained from all subjects. A questionnaire containing two sets was filled out for all the subjects by a trained interviewer. The first part of questionnaire included demographic factors, medical and reproductive history, urinary and bowel symptoms and pelvic organ prolapse symptoms. Medical conditions investigated were arthritis, chronic pulmonary disease, hypertension, constipation, diabetes mellitus, previous pelvic organ prolapse surgery and urinary incontinence Received 6 October 2005; revised 5 May 2006; accepted 8 May 2006; published online 22 June 2006 Correspondence: Dr SS Sobhgol, Faculty Member of Azad University of Zanjan, Azad University of Zanjan Branch, Moalem Squar, Mail Box 34185-195, Qazvin, 0098, Iran. E-mail: saharsadatsobhgol@yahoo.com International Journal of Impotence Research (2007) 19, 88–94 & 2007 Nature Publishing Group All rights reserved 0955-9930/07 $30.00 www.nature.com/ijir