Changes in sexual attitudes and behavior patterns that might be associated with pregnancy and childbirth were investigated. The subjects were 216 women seen by a group of obstetricians and gynecologist in office practice. While there was a wide range of individual responses, in general a decline in sexual interest, activity, and satisfaction was reported as pregnancy progressed. The desire for body contact remained at a very high level throughout. Some changes in body zones regarded as most erogenous during the course of pregnancy were indicated. Following childbirth the women's sexuality seems to have returned to a normal level. The degree of liberal vs. conservative attitudes toward sex expressed by these women was not affected by the pregnancy, nor did this dimension relate significantly to other behavioral variables.

Drawings of female figures made by women in their first (N = 54), second (N= 51), and third (N = 56) trimesters of pregnancy and post-partum (N = 55) women were compared with each other and with a control (N = 76) group of gynecological patients. There were no major differences in the drawings of women during the three major stages of pregnancy or between the pregnant women and those who had delivered recently. However, the pregnant women differed significantly from the gynecological controls in that they made more nude drawings, emphasized the genitals, distorted the drawn figures, and made the drawings smaller in size. It was concluded that somatic and psychological changes associated with pregnancy are reflected in the human figure drawings.