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Womens sexual health after childbirth

Womens sexual health after childbirth
Womens sexual health after childbirth
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of childbirth on the sexual health of primiparous women and identify factors associated with dyspareunia. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study using obstetric records, and postal survey six months after delivery. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St George's Hospital, London. POPULATION: All primiparous women (n = 796) delivered of a live birth in a six month period. METHODS: Quantitative analysis of obstetric and survey data. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self reported sexual behaviour and sexual problems (e.g. vaginal dryness, painful penetration, pain during sexual intercourse, pain on orgasm, vaginal tightness, vaginal looseness, bleeding/irritation after sex, and loss of sexual desire); consultation for postnatal sexual problems. RESULTS: Of the 484 respondents (61% response rate), 89% had resumed sexual activity within six months of the birth. Sexual morbidity increased significantly after the birth: in the first three months after delivery 83% of women experienced sexual problems, declining to 64% at six months, although not reaching pre-pregnancy levels of 38% . Dyspareunia in the first three months after delivery was, after adjustment, significantly associated with vaginal deliveries (P = 0 x 01) and previous experience of dyspareunia (P = 0 x 03). At six months the association with type of delivery was not significant (P = 0 x 4); only experience of dyspareunia before pregnancy (P < 0 x 0001) and current breastfeeding were significant (P = 0 x 0006). Only 15% of women who had a postnatal sexual problem reported discussing it with a health professional. CONCLUSIONS: Sexual health problems were very common after childbirth, suggesting potentially high levels of unmet need.
0306-5456
186-195
Barret, G.
abea6642-c5f1-4f13-a9ac-980fc2ef3b48
Pendry, E.
e4a5d305-095c-4a88-846c-e4d8317be75b
Peacock, J.
1781aee1-ae33-47d3-8777-0c98f276f0ff
Victor, C.
f031709a-f5fe-487d-88ab-a446147356fa
Thakar, R.
be3a18d6-5b8d-4eb8-9f88-88872260d51e
Manyonda, I.
71a2ceec-cba4-4cec-aad5-b065361394b6
Barret, G.
abea6642-c5f1-4f13-a9ac-980fc2ef3b48
Pendry, E.
e4a5d305-095c-4a88-846c-e4d8317be75b
Peacock, J.
1781aee1-ae33-47d3-8777-0c98f276f0ff
Victor, C.
f031709a-f5fe-487d-88ab-a446147356fa
Thakar, R.
be3a18d6-5b8d-4eb8-9f88-88872260d51e
Manyonda, I.
71a2ceec-cba4-4cec-aad5-b065361394b6

Barret, G., Pendry, E., Peacock, J., Victor, C., Thakar, R. and Manyonda, I. (2000) Womens sexual health after childbirth. British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 107 (2), 186-195.

Record type: Article

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of childbirth on the sexual health of primiparous women and identify factors associated with dyspareunia. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study using obstetric records, and postal survey six months after delivery. SETTING: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St George's Hospital, London. POPULATION: All primiparous women (n = 796) delivered of a live birth in a six month period. METHODS: Quantitative analysis of obstetric and survey data. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Self reported sexual behaviour and sexual problems (e.g. vaginal dryness, painful penetration, pain during sexual intercourse, pain on orgasm, vaginal tightness, vaginal looseness, bleeding/irritation after sex, and loss of sexual desire); consultation for postnatal sexual problems. RESULTS: Of the 484 respondents (61% response rate), 89% had resumed sexual activity within six months of the birth. Sexual morbidity increased significantly after the birth: in the first three months after delivery 83% of women experienced sexual problems, declining to 64% at six months, although not reaching pre-pregnancy levels of 38% . Dyspareunia in the first three months after delivery was, after adjustment, significantly associated with vaginal deliveries (P = 0 x 01) and previous experience of dyspareunia (P = 0 x 03). At six months the association with type of delivery was not significant (P = 0 x 4); only experience of dyspareunia before pregnancy (P < 0 x 0001) and current breastfeeding were significant (P = 0 x 0006). Only 15% of women who had a postnatal sexual problem reported discussing it with a health professional. CONCLUSIONS: Sexual health problems were very common after childbirth, suggesting potentially high levels of unmet need.

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Published date: 2000

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 72790
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/72790
ISSN: 0306-5456
PURE UUID: 1e2a13f6-ab25-4a79-a504-54ad3b2594d3

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Date deposited: 23 Feb 2010
Last modified: 26 Apr 2022 19:56

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Contributors

Author: G. Barret
Author: E. Pendry
Author: J. Peacock
Author: C. Victor
Author: R. Thakar
Author: I. Manyonda

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