Sexuality, Intimacy, and Marital Satisfaction in Iranian First-Time Parents

Abstract

This study aims at investigating the sexual relationship and intimate of postpartum spouses and the effect of those relationships on their marital satisfaction. A sample of 128 postpartum couples having given birth to their first child (6–36 weeks postpartum) participated in this study during 2009. A nonexperimental, cross-sectional survey design was conducted using Sexual Interest and Desire Inventory, Personal Assessment of Intimacy in Relationship Scale and Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Using univariate and multivariate regression analysis, results suggested that there were higher levels of sexual desire reported by husbands and there was a significant positive relationship between sexuality and marital satisfaction, for both genders. Moreover, high intimacy diminished the negative effects of marital satisfaction due to reported low sexual satisfaction. Regarding negative effects of marital dissatisfaction in first-time families, it is important to assess main related issues such as postpartum sexuality and intimacy, to obtain knowledge for health care providers to provide support to the postpartum families.