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Women's sexuality after childbirth:a pilot study.

Women's sexuality after childbirth:a pilot study.
Women's sexuality after childbirth:a pilot study.
A pilot study was carried out investigating women’ s sexual health in the postnatal period. Postal questionnaires were sent to a cohort of 158 primiparous women approximately 7 months after delivery. Women who had resumed sexual intercourse were asked a detailed set of questions about problems experienced, sexual practices, frequency of intercourse, satisfaction with sex life, and consultation for postnatal sexual problems. All women were asked about the information they received on postnatal health prior to the birth and any information or help and advice they received from health professionals on the subject after the birth. Ninety-eight women (62%) responded. Women experienced significant levels of morbidity in the postnatal period; 3 months after delivery 58% experienced dyspareunia, 39% experienced vaginal dryness, and 44% suffered loss of sexual desire. These figures had reduced to 26, 22, and 35%, respectively, by the time of answering the questionnaire (approximately 8 to 9 months after delivery). Compared to before pregnancy, there was a decrease in frequency and satisfaction with sexual intercourse, although sexual practices changed little. Of the 67 women who reported a postnatal sexual problem, only 19% discussed this with a health professional. Conversations with health professionals in routine postnatal health contacts were mainly about contraception, and only rarely discussed problems with intercourse.
0004-0002
179-191
Barrett, Geraldine
8d9a3ad9-e3cf-4cd8-9b38-4244d4871e08
Pendry, Elizabeth
aa3456d4-f81f-437d-9f73-52c5d72ab063
Peacock, Janet
62df4239-ae7e-44cf-aa3c-3c2e7f1e511c
Victor, Christina
8b429fcf-a2bc-459f-8f87-d6f168f5d2a0
Thakar, Ranee
a2e9310d-3b2d-4d29-a47b-d92a909f53c9
Manyonda, Isaac
17f617cf-7735-42eb-88d4-521f8c238f4e
Barrett, Geraldine
8d9a3ad9-e3cf-4cd8-9b38-4244d4871e08
Pendry, Elizabeth
aa3456d4-f81f-437d-9f73-52c5d72ab063
Peacock, Janet
62df4239-ae7e-44cf-aa3c-3c2e7f1e511c
Victor, Christina
8b429fcf-a2bc-459f-8f87-d6f168f5d2a0
Thakar, Ranee
a2e9310d-3b2d-4d29-a47b-d92a909f53c9
Manyonda, Isaac
17f617cf-7735-42eb-88d4-521f8c238f4e

Barrett, Geraldine, Pendry, Elizabeth, Peacock, Janet, Victor, Christina, Thakar, Ranee and Manyonda, Isaac (1999) Women's sexuality after childbirth:a pilot study. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 28 (2), 179-191. (doi:10.1023/A:1018771906780).

Record type: Article

Abstract

A pilot study was carried out investigating women’ s sexual health in the postnatal period. Postal questionnaires were sent to a cohort of 158 primiparous women approximately 7 months after delivery. Women who had resumed sexual intercourse were asked a detailed set of questions about problems experienced, sexual practices, frequency of intercourse, satisfaction with sex life, and consultation for postnatal sexual problems. All women were asked about the information they received on postnatal health prior to the birth and any information or help and advice they received from health professionals on the subject after the birth. Ninety-eight women (62%) responded. Women experienced significant levels of morbidity in the postnatal period; 3 months after delivery 58% experienced dyspareunia, 39% experienced vaginal dryness, and 44% suffered loss of sexual desire. These figures had reduced to 26, 22, and 35%, respectively, by the time of answering the questionnaire (approximately 8 to 9 months after delivery). Compared to before pregnancy, there was a decrease in frequency and satisfaction with sexual intercourse, although sexual practices changed little. Of the 67 women who reported a postnatal sexual problem, only 19% discussed this with a health professional. Conversations with health professionals in routine postnatal health contacts were mainly about contraception, and only rarely discussed problems with intercourse.

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Published date: 1999

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 72829
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/72829
ISSN: 0004-0002
PURE UUID: f3bd680e-7ae1-45f3-9525-3b61a0e232b3

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Date deposited: 04 Mar 2010
Last modified: 13 Mar 2024 21:42

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Contributors

Author: Geraldine Barrett
Author: Elizabeth Pendry
Author: Janet Peacock
Author: Christina Victor
Author: Ranee Thakar
Author: Isaac Manyonda

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