SEXUALITY DURING PREGNANCY AND THE YEAR POSTPARTUM

BACKGROUND. There have been a few studies conducted on couples' sexual behavior during pregnancy and the year postpartum, but those studies contain sampling bias resulting from recruiting volunteers for sex res earch. The sample for the current research was recruited for a far les s sensitive study, and includes data from both mothers and fathers. ME THODS. A total of 570 pregnant women and 550 of their husbands or part ners were recruited and were interviewed on four occasions: (1) at the fifth month of pregnancy (T1); (2) at 1 month postpartum (T2); (3) at 4 months postpartum (T3); and (4) at 12 months postpartum (T4). RESUL TS. Although approximately 90% of couples engaged in sexual intercours e at T1, T3, and T4, only approximately 19% did at T2. On average, cou ples resumed intercourse at 7 weeks postpartum. At T2 and T3, women wh o were breastfeeding showed significantly less sexual activity and les s sexual satisfaction than women who were not. There were few differen ces between women who gave birth vaginally and those who were delivere d by cesarean section, except that the latter resumed intercourse some what earlier. CONCLUSIONS. Practitioners providing family-centered mat ernity care need to counsel couples about typical patterns of sexualit y during pregnancy and postpartum, and about usual patterns during bre astfeeding. Accurate information can help couples feel more comfortabl e during the transition periods before and after childbirth. A discuss ion of expected changes in sexuality should be routinely introduced by the physician during prenatal care.