Feeling an Invisible Wall: The Experience of Iranian Women's Marital Relationship After Surgical Menopause: A Qualitative Content Analysis Study

ABSTRACT

Sexual relationships after surgical menopause matter when talking about sex is taboo and marriage is the only justified way to meet sexual needs. In this qualitative research study, 22 surgical menopausal women shared their experiences of sexual/marital relationship after surgery through in-depth, face-to-face, semi-structured interviews. Qualitative content analysis technique was used for data analysis. An overarching theme entitled “feeling an invisible wall” reflected this experience. It comprised three categories: (1) declined marital intimacy, (2) disarming, and (3) transformation of societal norms into concerns. This study proposed new contextual information about the marital relationship of Iranian women after surgical menopause that was not openly articulated before and which may be applicable for others in such contexts. Women's main concern was the emotional separation because of the sexual consequences of the surgery. Healthcare providers should be aware of women's concerns, which may alter their marital relationship. They must provide individualized care, education, and support for couples to make thoughtful decisions about rebuilding their sexual relationship. Results may also have implications for psychiatrists, sex/marital therapists, and probably clergy who have the authority to openly address this important issue to the public.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all women who participated in this study and so sincerely shared their experiences. The authors are also so grateful to Kerman University of Medical Sciences for their ethical and legal approval. This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. The authors declare that there is no conflict of interests regarding the publication of this paper.

Disclosure statement

All authors had full contribution to this manuscript. Study design, collecting and analyzing the data, and writing the initial draft of manuscript have done by ORR, and M A C, B T, N D N, M R did advise on study design, supervise the analytical process and revised the initial draft of this manuscript.