الفهرس 
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Abstract
Sexuality is a complex process, coordinated by the neurologic, vascular and endocrine systems. A breakdown in any of these areas may lead to sexual dysfunction in which there is interference in the processes of desire, arousal and orgasm. Dyspareunia is a form of sexual dysfunction which is defined as persistent and recurrent urogenital pain occurring before, during or after sexual intercourse. Dyspareunia can affect quality of life and cause relationship difficulties.
The aim of the present study was to evaluate how frequent is dyspareunia and its effect on the different aspects of sexuality in a sample of Egyptian women.
This study included 167 married women who were sexually active (married and living with their husbands for at least 6 months) and free from diseases known to affect sexual function as heart diseases, liver or kidney diseases. Women who weren’t participating in regular sexual intercourse, illiterate and refusing to cooperate were excluded from the study.
A self-¬filling questionnaire written in English and translated into Arabic was used. The questionnaire included the epidemiological data (age, educational level, occupation and residence), assessment of female sexual functions (frequency of intercourse, desire to have sex, lubrication, orgasm and sexual satisfaction), assessment of dyspareunia and husband attitude toward dyspareunia.
The results of this study showed that:
• The most common age group of participants was 20-29 (41.6%). Most of the participants (75%) had a moderate to high degree of education.
• Coital frequency, libido, lubrication and orgasm were found to decline with age, while overall satisfaction with sexual life increases with age.
• Education is proportionally correlated with sexual function.
• About 80% of our participants gave a positive history of dyspareunia during their marital life.
• Combined feeling of both superficial and deep dyspareunia was the most common site of pain (34.4%).
• Majority of our participants (57.5%) didn’t avoid participation in sexual intercourse in spite of the presence of dyspareunia.
• Dyspareunia sometimes (34.7%) affected the arousal in about half the times of sexual intercourse.
• There was a tendency (50.8%) that dyspareunia affects lubrication.
• Dyspareunia didn’t affect body self-image in most of our participants (64.1%).
• The majority of our subjects (68.5%) were satisfied with genital self- image.
• Low physical and emotional satisfaction and decrease in general happiness were the most common impact of dyspareunia on participant’s quality of life.
• Most of our subjects (84.5%) were genitally cut. Coital frequency, desire, ability to reach orgasm, lubrication and sexual satisfaction tend to be more in the uncut subjects while pain tends to be less.
• Satisfaction of the husband (62.1%) was the most common motive for engagement in sexual intercourse.
CONCLUSION
This study confirms that dyspareunia is a frequent complaint during marital life. It was found that dyspareunia affects many aspects of female sexuality. Dyspareunia had negative effects on the female sexuality considering arousal and lubrication. Dyspareunia had no effect on ability to engage in sexual intercourse, body self-image and genital self-image. Women with dyspareunia were subjected more to low physical and emotional satisfaction and decrease in general happiness. Husband support was the most common response to dyspareunia. Satisfaction of the husband was the commonest motive to engage in sexual interc.