The risk of childlessness and serious relationship problems in men with a deceptively harmless disorder of the penis

It is easy to relate to the challenges of having a genital disorder, regardless if it is considered as medically “harmless”. In this proposal, we aim to assess the risk of childlessness, and ended cohabitation, and divorce in men with Peyronie’s disease (PD). PD is a disorder of the penis that causes for example a bent and painful erection.

Prior studies have shown that many men with PD suffer from diminished quality of life, poor self-esteem, and self-stigmatization, which may lead to avoidance of dating and intimate relationships and thereby increase their risk of childlessness.

Men with PD who are in a relationship often experience problems with negative effects on their relationship functioning, as well as feelings of rejection and hurt from their partners as a response to their problems with intimacy and sex.These factors may increase the risk of ended cohabitation, and divorce in men with PD.

We argue that PD is a deceptively harmless disorder with potentially life-altering consequences. Population-based register research is a novel approach to address the aims of this project. If the results would show excess risks of childlessness, and ended cohabitation/divorce, it would increase the awareness of PD in health care, and suggest the need of a cross-professional care that includes assessment and treatment of non-medical problems regarding family planning and relationships, thus potentially improving important aspects of the life chances of men with PD.