Sexual function refers to the different reactions of the body during the phases of the sexual response cycle, and any reason that interrupts this cycle is characterized as sexual dysfunction. In this sense, sexual dysfunction can significantly impact on quality of life and generate a mistaken perception about sexuality, especially among women who have historically been immersed in taboos surrounding the subject.

To verify female sexual function and its influence on quality of life.

This is an exploratory-descriptive study with a quantitative-qualitative design. Data collection took place online, through a link made available on Google Forms, from September 2020 to January 2021. A questionnaire composed of sociodemographic questions, female sexuality and pregnancy history was used, in addition to the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), which consists of 19 items with questions related to sexual function up to 4 weeks ago and covers domains related to sexual desire, sexual arousal, vaginal lubrication, orgasm, sexual satisfaction and pain. Women between 18 and 55 years old, who had an active sexual life in the 4 weeks prior to the questionnaire were included. Data organization and analysis were performed using Excel® 2010 software, including the preparation of tables, charts, and graphs, in addition to the use of analyses generated by Google Forms.

104 individuals participated in the study, of which the majority were between 18 and 25 years of age (n = 73), identified themselves as single in relation to marital status (79.81%), had no diagnosis of sexual dysfunction (97.12%) and were students (49.04%). In addition, the majority had no abortions (92.31%) and no pregnancies (71.15%), while the minority had 3 and 4 or more pregnancies, representing 0.96% each. Regarding sexual function, 61.54% had a score above the cutoff line on the FSFI, not suggesting sexual dysfunction, while 38.46% obtained a score below the cutoff line, suggesting sexual dysfunction. Regarding perceptions, 20.19% believe that educational or professional life negatively affects sexual life and 63.46% that sexual life positively interferes with their mood. When analyzing the sexual life domain in quality of life, on a score from 0 (minimum) to 4 (maximum), it was possible to observe a good classification, in which 34.44% attributed the maximum score and 47.68% a score of 3.

It can be concluded that most participants presented good sexual function and that sexual life positively influences mood, in addition to having a good classification within the quality of life assessment. However, it should be noted that the sample was composed mostly of young, single adults with no history of pregnancy, which may have influenced the results. Therefore, it is essential to conduct new research with a more diverse sample.

Understanding female sexual function and its influence on quality of life is essential for the physiotherapist to identify the prevalence of dysfunctions and their impacts on the daily lives of patients, as well as the importance of effective professional monitoring.