Sexual dysfunction in the third trimester of pregnancy and postpartum period: a prospective longitudinal study

Abstract

The purpose of this prospective longitudinal study was to determine the prevalence of sexual dysfunction (SD) in women in the third trimester of pregnancy and at 8 week and 6 months in the postpartum period, as well as to identify the factors affecting sexual function in the postpartum period. 110 pregnant women were included in the study. The results showed significant differences in the scores between pregnancy and 6 months after delivery and between 8 weeks and 6 months after delivery. The scores in desire, sexual arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and satisfaction subdimensions were significantly higher and the score in pain subdimension was significantly lower at 6 months than during pregnancy and at eight weeks after delivery. Sexual dysfunction is a common problem in women in the last trimester of pregnancy and at eight weeks after delivery. However, this problem substantially resolves at postpartum 6 months.

IMPACT STATEMENT

• What is already known on this subject? Physiological, psychological, and hormonal changes, especially during pregnancy and postpartum period, have a considerable impact on sexual function. Therefore, identifying various aspects of sexual problems during pregnancy and postpartum period and improving the body of knowledge about sexual function would contribute to the health of women and couples.

• What the results of this study add? Sexual dysfunction is a common problem in women in the last trimester of pregnancy and at 8 weeks after delivery. However, this problem substantially resolves at postpartum 6 months.

• What the implications are of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? A striking finding in the study is the increase of SD risk in the sixth month of postpartum with women’s starting to work. This problem, which has been addressed sparsely in the current literature, can be considered a condition requiring an in-depth research.

Keywords:

• Sexual dysfunction
• pregnancy
• postpartum
• related factors
• FSFI

Ethics approval

The study was performed in accordance with the principles of the Helsinki Declaration. An approval was gathered from the ethics committee before the study (Approval number 03.04.2018/02), and necessary permissions were obtained from the Provincial Directorate of Health and Hospital administration. The participants were orally informed and in written by the researcher.

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

The authors wish to thank Eskisehir Osmangazi University for financial support. The authors are grateful to Eskisehir Osmangazi University, Commission of Scientific Research Projects for financial support to Project 2018-1961.