Effect of Sexual Counseling on Marital Satisfaction of Pregnant Women Referring to Health Centers in Malayer (Iran): An educational randomized experimental study

Abstract

IntroductionOne of the most important factors in marital satisfaction is the satisfaction of a healthy sexual relationship between spouses. During pregnancy marital satisfaction may decrease due to sexual problems. Sexual counseling to pregnant women may reduce the complications of these problems at this time. This study aimed to investigate the effects of sexual counseling on marital satisfaction of pregnant women. This article is sponsored by the Hamadan University of Medical Sciences.MethodsThis educational randomized experimental study was conducted on 80 pregnant women referring to health centers of Malayer. Samples were two groups of experimental and control, with forty participants in each group, four consultation sessions were held, and each session lasted 40 to 90 minutes Data gathering tools were demographic questionnaire and Enriching Relationship Issues Communication and Happiness (ENRICH), a short form of marital satisfaction questionnaire with 47 items. Data were analyzed by Software SPSS 22 and the results were compared by independent t-test, chi-square test, and repeated measure ANOVA.ResultsComparing the marital satisfaction mean scores in the experimental group showed a significant difference between pre-consultation, and the consultation after two and four weeks. Marital satisfaction score of 8.05 ± 51.20 before the consultation was increased to 7.76 ± 54.52 after two weeks and 6.48 ± 59.20 after four weeks (respectively p < 0.001, p < 0.001). In addition, mean and standard deviation of marital satisfaction in the control group before the intervention, two weeks and four weeks after the intervention were respectively 10.10 ± 45.67, 11.75 ± 47.75, and 10.02 ± 46.30 and Bonferroni post hoc test showed a significant difference between before and two weeks after intervention (p = 0.03). However, marital satisfaction before and four weeks after the intervention was not significant (p = 0.59). The results showed that sexual counseling was associated with marital satisfaction and was effective in its promotion.ConclusionSexual counseling can be used as a method of intervention in sexual relationship of spouses particularly in marital dissatisfaction.

The effect of counselling on the sexual satisfaction of women with hypoactive sexual desire referring to Hamadan health centres, 2017

“…Masoumi also believes that by providing appropriate counselling on sexual issues, the problems in couples' sexual relations are gradually eliminated, and their unawareness turns into perfect knowledge. Moreover, Masoumi et al examined the effect of sexual therapy on marital satisfaction in pregnant women in 2016; they indicated that counselling increased the score for sexual satisfaction, which is consistent with the present study [27]. In 2017 Parhizgar et al concluded that sex education or marital counselling plays an important role in family health, reduces sexual violence in the family, prevents sexually transmitted diseases, develops positive attitudes towards sexual relations and sexual pleasure, reduces family incompatibility, helps gain sexual satisfaction experience and results in couples' sexual satisfaction as a result of couples' marital satisfaction [28].…”

“…Another study hypothesis suggests that midwife counselling improves sexual satisfaction in women with a low libido [35,36]. The results of the current study indicate the success of the intervention in this regard, which is in line with the study of Masoumi et al as regards the effectiveness of counselling by midwifery personnel [27].…”

Effect of counselling based on the PLISSIT model on pregnant women’s sexual satisfaction: a randomised controlled trial

“…Masoumi et al, in their study, concluded that sexual education or marital counselling promoted family health, reduced sexual violence in the family, prevented sexually transmitted diseases and provided a positive attitude toward sexual relations, sexual pleasure, reduced family inequity and sexual satisfaction. As a result, marital satisfaction is attained by couples [23]. Alidost et al, in their study, demonstrated that after sexual counselling, the mean score of sexual satisfaction in the posttest and the 6-month follow-up was significantly higher than that of the pre-test score [9].…”

The Effect of Skill-based Sexual Enhancement Counseling Program in Quality of life in Women with Multiple Sclerosis–a quasi-experimental study

“…The SSEP protocol was administered for couple counseling in the presence of the couples who were blind of the presence of other couples in the research group. SSE-CP meeting protocol was designed based on similar interventions extracted from textbooks and articles (16,17).…”