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Effect of Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on sexual function of pregnant women: a double blind randomized controlled trial

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 36, pages 414–421 (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on female sexual function during pregnancy. The present study was a double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial performed on 124 pregnant women (62 people in each group) at 16–22 weeks of gestation who referred to health centers in Ilam in 2020 to receive prenatal care. The intervention group received 300 mg of omega-3 supplements and the control group received placebo once a day for 8 weeks. Data collection tools in this study included a demographic questionnaire, three 24-h dietary recall (24HR), female sexual function index (FSFI), and Van den Bergh Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire (PRAQ). Before intervention, the total score of sexual function in the intervention group and control groups, showed no statistically significant difference (P = 0.123). However, 4 and 8 weeks after intervention, the mean total score of sexual function in the intervention group was significantly higher than that of the control group after intervention (P < 0.0001). Before intervention, the total score of gestational anxiety in the intervention and control groups, showed no statistically significant difference (P = 0.149). However, 4 and 8 weeks after intervention, the mean total score of gestational anxiety in the intervention group was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.0001). Based on three 24-h dietary recall, regardless of daily intake of 300 mg of omega-3 supplement, the percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) intake from daily energy intake was not statistically significant between the intervention and control groups from baseline to follow-up (P > 0.01). Based on the results of this study, omega-3 supplementation could improve sexual function in pregnant women by preventing increased pregnancy anxiety. However, more studies are needed to prove the effectiveness of omega-3s on female sexual function during pregnancy. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences (Ref. ID: IR.AJUMS.REC.1398.935) and registered in Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (Ref. ID: IRCT20200415047078N1).

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The datasets generated and/or analysed during the current research are not publicly available as individual privacy could be compromised but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the Deputy of Research of AJUMS, Ahvaz, Iran for providing the opportunity to conduct this study. Hereby, all women who participated in this clinical trial are highly appreciated.

Funding

This article was extracted from a MSc. thesis conducted by Zeinab Khanjari in the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, AJUMS, Ahvaz, Iran, and was financially supported by the Deputy of Research at AJUMS, Ahvaz, Iran. This Deputy did not have any role in the design of the study, collection, analysis, and interpretation of the data as well as writing the manuscript. All of the costs of this research have been supplied by Ahvaz University of medical sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Midwifery Department, Nursing and Midwifery School, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Science, Ahvaz, Iran

    Zeinab Khanjari

  2. Reproductive Health Promotion Research Center, Midwifery Department, Nursing and Midwifery School, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Science, Ahvaz, Iran

    Mina Iravani

  3. Menopause Andropause Research Center, Department of Midwifery, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

    Parvin Abedi

  4. Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Health, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran

    Saeed Ghanbari

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  1. Zeinab Khanjari
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  2. Mina Iravani
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Contributions

Zkh: responsible for design, data collection and writing manuscript in Persian. MI: responsible for design, data interpretation and writing manuscript in English. PA: involved in design and interpretation of data. SG: responsible for data analyzing and interpretation. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Mina Iravani.

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The authors declare no competing interests.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

This study was registered in the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (Ref. ID: IRCT20200415047087N1) and was also approved by the Ethics Committee of AJUMS (ID: IR.AJUMS.REC.1398.935).

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All participants were assured of confidentiality and anonymity and gave consent for direct quotes from their interviews to be used in this manuscript.

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Khanjari, Z., Iravani, M., Abedi, P. et al. Effect of Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on sexual function of pregnant women: a double blind randomized controlled trial. Int J Impot Res 36, 414–421 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-022-00598-w

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