gynecology and obstetrics medical project, gynecology journal, obstetrics, gynecologic oncology, reproductive medicine, gynecological endoscopy, ultrasonography, gynecology articles

Ginekologia i Poloznictwo
ISSN 1896-3315 e-ISSN 1898-0759

The evaluation of pregnancy effect on a woman?s sexual activity


Abstract

Author(s): HUBERT HURAS, PIOTR OSSOWSKI, ANNA WÓJTOWICZ, ALFRED REROŃ, ROBERT JACH

Introduction. Pregnancy causes some changes in the sexual activity of the pregnant woman and her partner. The evaluation of the influence of pregnancy on the quality of sexual life still constitutes a very important problem in perinatal medicine and sexology. Aim of the work. Defining essential changes in the sexual activity in pregnant women and factors influencing the quality of sexual life during pregnancy. Material and method. The prospective analysis included data of 100 women hospitalized during July 1 and September 30, 2011 in the Clinics of Obstetrics and Perinatology of the University Hospital in Cracow, obtained with the method of diagnostic survey and the use of a questionnaire prepared especially for the research. Pregnancy of a pathological course and contraindications for having sexual intercourse were an excluding criteria from the research. Results. Data analysis shows that in comparison to the pre-pregnancy period, the libido level decreases considerably in the I and III trimester of the pregnancy. We observed statistically significant deterioration of sexual life quality during pregnancy, while a decisive majority of the respondents did not report any sexual conflicts with the partner during pregnancy. Only 23% declared that one reason for conflict were not too frequent sexual contacts. We also analyzed the declared frequency of sexual intercourse in women before getting pregnant and in every trimester of pregnancy. The biggest group were women who defined the frequency of their sexual acts before pregnancy as one to two times a week - 43%; this group also remained the biggest in the I and II trimester of the pregnancy. Vaginal act was the most frequent form of sexual act both before the pregnancy and during all trimesters of pregnancies. With advancement of pregnancy, there is a lower proportion of people declaring having oral sex and anal sex and there is a change in the proportion of individual sexual positions. We stated an increase in the frequency of sexual acts in lateral position. The doctor attending the pregnancy only rarely provided information to the pregnant women on the sexual activity. All respondents confirmed the usefulness of sexual education provided by the attending doctor and obtained at birthing classes.