Sexuality after injury: Interviews with women after traumatic spinal cord injury

The aim of this study is to illuminate sexual experiences in women after tr aumatic spinal cord injury (SCI), including psychological, physical and soc ial barriers that will have to be overcome to resume a sexually active life with a partner Interviews with eight women were performed. The women were 20-43 years old, previously healthy, with experience of stable heterosexual relationships both before and after SCI. The interviews covered three main areas: 1. The first sexual contact after injury: expectations, concerns, o utcome; 2. Communication with partner on sexual matters, before and after i njury, and 3. Sexual activity after injury: limitations, compensatory strat egies. In addition, advice from the women to newly injured and rehabilitati on staff/counselors was requested. Results suggest a strong influence of pr e-injury sexual behaviour on post-injury sexual adaptation. A positive atti tude towards sexuality and good communicative skills seem to be of particul ar importance for a favourable outcome of sexual rehabilitation. Even under such circumstances, however; SCI as a rule leads to significant loss of se xual ability. A realistic approach is therefore recommended in, counseling, taking the mourning of loss of function into consideration, and allowing t he patients to express their grief Thus, sexual rehabilitation programs nee d to address a dynamic process of mourning and coping, rather than merely t eaching skills for having sexual intercourse after SCI.