Pain during sexual activity can alter the sexual response cycle, potentially leading to sexual dysfunction. Often underestimated in healthcare consultations, pain during sexual activity can negatively impact women's quality of life.

To assess the frequency of pain during sexual activity in women with and without sexual dysfunction.

This is a cross-sectional study that included women aged = 18 years who reported having had sexual activity in the last four weeks. The study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee. Data were collected through an electronic form containing sociodemographic questions and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire to assess the presence of sexual dysfunction in six domains (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain). The risk of sexual dysfunction was considered for women with a total FSFI score = 26.55, and domain-specific cut-off points were < 2.4 for desire and < 3.6 for the other domains. A descriptive analysis was conducted to determine the frequency of pain during sexual activity in women with and without sexual dysfunction.

Regarding sexual dysfunction, they were presented by domain and total FSFI score. Results: A total of 621 women participated, of whom 197 (31.72%) were at risk of developing sexual dysfunction and 424 (68.28%) were not. The mean age in the dysfunction group was 30.5 ± 9.3 years, while in the non-dysfunction group, it was 29.5 ± 8.6 years. A total of 94 (42.2%) women reported experiencing pain during sexual intercourse, including 75 (38%) in the dysfunction group and 19 (4.4%) in the non-dysfunction group. This was based on their response to the question: “Over the past 4 weeks, how often did you experience discomfort or pain during vaginal penetration?”. Regarding FSFI domains, the results for women with and without sexual dysfunction, respectively, were: 4.2 (±1.0) and 2.8 (±1.0) for desire, 5.3 (±0.5) and 3.5 (±1.0) for arousal, 5.4 (±0.7) and 3.9 (±1.1) for lubrication, 5.1 (±0.9) and 3.4 (±1.3) for orgasm, and 5.5 (±0.6) and 4.0 (±1.2) for pain.

The results indicate that women with and without sexual dysfunction experience pain during sexual intercourse. Thus, it is necessary to develop screening strategies and provide guidance to the population for the prevention and treatment of pain during sexual activity.

The study highlights the presence of pain during sexual activity in women with and without sexual dysfunction, reinforcing the need for greater attention to this issue in clinical practice. Given that pain during intercourse can negatively impact social life and overall well-being, healthcare professionals—particularly physiotherapists—should integrate sexual health assessment into their routine care. In physiotherapy practice, these findings emphasize the importance of pelvic floor rehabilitation strategies, pain management techniques, and patient education on sexual health. From a policy perspective, incorporating sexual function assessments into broader women’s health programs could facilitate early intervention.