Prevalence of female sexual dysfunction during pregnancy in Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office Countries (EMRO): a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract

Background

Sexual dysfunction is potential abnormality in the ability of a person to sexual respond or enjoy sexual experience. During pregnancy, sexual function is at risk and disorder due to physical, hormonal and psychological changes. The prevalence of female sexual dysfunction is very variable during pregnancy.

Objective

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in pregnant women in the Eastern Mediterranean Regional Office Countries (EMRO) by meta-analysis and systematic methods.

Materials and Methods

This study was reported based on the PRISMA checklist for systematic review and meta-analysis. This study investigated all articles with full English text in the EMRO region, from the international databases from 2000 to January 2019, which examined the prevalence of the sexual dysfunction in pregnant women. Statistical analysis was performed by using STATA12.1software.

Results

The results reveal that the prevalence of the sexual dysfunction in pregnant women is65% (95% CI: 54–75%). The mean of total sexual dysfunction in women was 22.71 (95% CI: 18.52–28.51%) and for the first, second and third trimester of pregnancy were obtained as 23.77 (95% CI: 28.56–28.96%), 23.80 (95% CI: 23.78–23.82%) and 22.60 (95% CI: 22.58–22.62%), respectively.

Conclusion

The prevalence rate of sexual dysfunction is high in pregnant women in the EMRO region. The high rate of sexual dysfunction can be due to the difference in sexual performance scoring using the female sexual function questionnaire and on the other hand, pregnant women may be due to incorrect beliefs about sexual activity and cultural, religious and social restrictions and taboos, they have been avoiding to express their sexual function correctly.

Keywords:

• Sexual dysfunction
• pregnancy
• pregnant women
• prevalence

Acknowledgments

The present study was part of doctoral dissertation in the field of Reproductive Health, approved by the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and was approved by the University Ethics Committee (code IR.SBMU.PHNM.1395.495). The authors hereby thank the university officials and the midwives at the Prenatal Care Clinic, and all the participants in this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).