Sexual function may be impaired during pregnancy in adolescent women

ABSTRACT

Prevalence of sexual dysfunctions is reported as high as 70% during pregnancy. However, there are limited data about the burden of sexual dysfunction in pregnant adolescents. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the outpatient antenatal clinic of our institution between October and December 2014. The total female sexual function index scores and domain scores were compared between adolescent and adult pregnant women. A total of 121 pregnant women participated in the study. Of those women, 29 (24.0%) were 21 years old or younger (Group 1), whereas the remaining were older (Group 2). The sexual dysfunction ratios were 41.4% and 23.9% in Groups 1 and 2, respectively (p = 0.068). The desire (3.29 vs. 2.79, p = 0.024) and arousal (3.48 vs. 2.71, p = 0.008) domain scores of adolescent pregnant women were significantly higher whereas the remaining domain scores (i.e. lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain) were not significantly different. The adolescent women seem to be more prone to sexual dysfunctions during the course of pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. The health care providers should consider discussing the sexual life during pregnancy as a part of routine antenatal visit to improve sexual function and quality of life, especially among adolescent pregnant population.

KEYWORDS:

• Adolescent
• female sexual function index
• pregnancy
• sexual dysfunction

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nicel Tasdemir

Nicel Tasdemir has graduated from Hacettepe University School of Medicine in 2003 and has completed his residency in Dr. Zekai Tahir Burak Women Health and Research Hospital, Ankara. He has been working in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology of Namik Kemal University School of Medicine since 2010. He is specialized in minimally invasive surgery and artificial reproductive techniques.

Cem Celik

Cem Celik has graduated from Hacettepe University School of Medicine in 2006 and has completed his residency in Zeynep Kamil Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul. He is currently working in the Bahceci Clinic in Istanbul.

Remzi Abali

Remzi Abali has graduated from the medical school of Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University. He completed his residency on obstetrics and gynecology at Istanbul Training & Research Hospital in 2004. He is also trained on assisted reproduction technology and currently working in Bahceci Infertility Center in Istanbul.

Irfan Ozer

Irfan Ozer has graduated from the medical school of Cerrahpasa Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul University. He completed his residency on obstetrics and gynecology at Istanbul Training & Research Hospital in 2004. He is also trained on assisted reproduction technology and currently working in Bahceci Infertility Center in Istanbul.

Mehmet Gokhan Culha

Mehmet Gokhan Culha, MD was born in Istanbul in 1986 and graduated from Istanbul University Cerrahpaşa, Faculty of Medicine, Department of English in 2011. In the same year, Dr. Culha started practice in a Mother and Child Health and Family Planning Center. In February 2012, he started his urology residency at Istanbul Education and Research Hospital.

Ege Can Serefoglu

Ege Can Serefoglu has a Medical Doctor degree from Turkey and has completed a residency in urology. After practicing as a urologist for 2 years, he has worked as a post-doctorate research fellow at Tulane University Department of Urology, Division of Andrology, USA. He has received “Amsterdam Young Scientist Award” in 2012 and he is actively working in professional organizations such as Turkish Association of Urology, European Association of Urology (EAU), European Society for Sexual Medicine (ESSM) and International Society of Sexual Medicine (ISSM). Currently, he is serving as the Associate Editor of Sexual Medicine and Sexual Medicine Reviews journals and working as a urologist in Bagcilar Training & Research Hospital, Turkey.