What is your advice regarding a wife who fears marital relations and has asked her husband not to touch her, which has led to them not having children despite their mutual love and her awareness of the importance of procreation in Islam?

Unwarranted fear of sexual intimacy between spouses is a medical symptom known as genophobia. It manifests as severe anxiety and fear, accompanied by physical symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, and muscle spasms when exposed to a sexual context. Its cause might be previous experiences such as sexual harassment, obsessive thoughts, or it might have no clear cause.

This disorder is treated in several ways: 1. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Sessions with a female psychologist to change negative behaviors by analyzing and discussing negative thoughts and feelings. 2. Relaxation Therapy: Breathing and relaxation exercises that help calm the individual and reduce anxiety and its accompanying physical symptoms. 3. Medication: Use of antidepressants (which also act as anti-anxiety medications) under the supervision of a specialized doctor.

The husband should encourage his wife to consult a specialized female doctor to treat this condition, in order to fulfill the purposes of marriage.