Experience Of Sexuality After Pregnancy And Childbirth

Background: To date there is only a limited number of study data on the changes in the perceived quality of sexuality and relationships of women that occur with pregnancy and childbirth. Apart from prevalence issues predictors for those changes are important. These questions were addressed with this epidemiological follow-up study. Methods: The study sample consisted of 236 women who gave birth to a child between November 2000 and May 2001 at Bonn University Hospital in Germany. A first visit took place at the hospital a few days after childbirth. Data included sociodemographic data, medical and gynecological data as well as personality traits using the NEO-FFI. A second visit took place 6.6 +/- 0.8 months after childbirth. It included the BSPS (Bonn Scale for Post-Partum Sexuality) and psychiatric symptoms using the SCL-90-R. Results: Approximately six months after childbirth 40.6% of women perceived a diminished quality of sexual life compared to the time before pregnancy. 23.2% indicated a diminished relationship quality. The potentially relevant co-variables regarding the changes in sexual quality were age, breast feeding, fertilization, use of contraceptives and presence of psychiatric symptoms. With the changes in relationship quality there were correlations with marital status, conscientiousness, and psychiatric symptom load. Discussion: The majority of women six months after childbirth did not return to a perceived sexual life comparable to the time before pregnancy. In addition to the high presence of symptoms of sexual dysfunction, the high psychosocial pressure is of special importance. Therefore the information of patients about the potential development of sexuality after childbirth and an integrative approach by the gynecologist seem important. Particularly the correlation between psychiatric symptom load and their predictive potential regarding satisfaction with sexuality should be accounted for in further epidemiological research.