Approximately 70% of pregnant women experience sexual dysfunction, yet nearly three-quarters do not seek information from health care providers about sexuality during pregnancy, according to a recent study.
In the study, published in the Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology Research, researchers investigated beliefs and sexual dysfunction among pregnant women, focusing on the impact of pregnancy on sexuality. This cross-sectional study, conducted between March and August 2022 in Sfax, Tunisia, recruited 34 pregnant women who voluntarily completed an online questionnaire. The study utilized the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) to evaluate sexual dysfunction and explored participants’ beliefs about sexuality during pregnancy.
The participants had a mean age of 31.56 years (± 3.25). Among the women surveyed, 70.6% of them experienced sexual dysfunction, defined by an FSFI score of at least 26.55. Subscale scores revealed impairments across domains, including sexual desire (median score = 3.6), arousal (3.6), lubrication (3.9), orgasm (4.2), satisfaction (4.8), and pain (3.6). No statistically significant associations were identified between the presence of sexual dysfunction and variables such as age, education level, parity, or pregnancy complications.
The researchers also assessed beliefs about sexuality during pregnancy. While 64.7% of the participants believed sexual activity could continue, 20.6% of them expressed concern that it might harm the fetus, and 17.6% of them believed it could adversely affect their health. Cultural misconceptions were present, with 23.5% stating that pregnant women lack sexual desire, and 14.7% believed sexual activity during pregnancy primarily satisfies men.
Access to information about sexuality was limited. Just 26.5% of the women sought information from caregivers, and 41.2% received spontaneous advice from their physicians. The primary sources of information included scientific articles (58.8%), gynecologists (44.1%), and friends (35.3%). Despite these sources, cultural and societal taboos surrounding sexual health during pregnancy were evident.
The researchers highlighted the importance of health care providers addressing sexual health during prenatal visits and recommended integrating sexual health education into routine care and public health initiatives to dispel misconceptions and reduce stigma. They noted that this approach could enhance maternal sexual health outcomes.
Full disclosures can be found in the published study.
