Perinatal Sexual Dysfunction: the Importance of the Interpersonal Context

Fitzpatrick, Erin T.; Kolbuszewska, Marta; Dawson, Samantha J.

doi:10.1007/s11930-021-00313-8

Cited by 14 publications

(10 citation statements)

References 97 publications

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“…To this day, there is debate about the influence of pregnancy on female sexuality and the influence of sexual intercourse on the course of pregnancy [ 28 , 29 , 30 , 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 ]. Unfortunately, within society, as well as among medical personnel, there are many unscientific views regarding sexual intercourse during pregnancy.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in the Sexual Behavior of Partners in Each Trimester of Pregnancy in Otwock in Polish Couples

Kulhawik¹,

Krupa

Grabarek³

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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The aim of this study was to improve knowledge regarding pregnant couples by assessing changes in their sexual behavior, the reasons for the frequency and forms of intercourse, and the self-sexuality of partners in each trimester of pregnancy. As a result, 100 couples were qualified to take part in the final study, with 100 men and 100 women examined at intervals equivalent to the trimesters of pregnancy. These women (n = 100) and men (n = 100) were partners. Each of the studied couples was assessed in the trimesters of pregnancy. A prospective examination was conducted based on the observation of the same people, which were heterosexual couples, throughout pregnancy. The data used in the study was obtained using Davies’ Sexual Satisfaction Scale (DSSS), as well as an original survey on the sexuality of people during pregnancy (SARSS). The survey allowed us to obtain sociodemographic (metrics) information along with information regarding the sexual activity, satisfaction, and sexual attraction of the partners. All questionnaire questions were answered in paper form. There was a statistically significant drop in sexual intercourse from the first trimester in the second and third trimesters. The frequency of masturbation increased in men and decreased in women. The most common cause of sexual abstinence during the pregnancy was cited as fear for the fetus by all genders. A statistical analysis indicated that the average overall scores of the DSSS for the examined women in the first trimester of pregnancy were statistically significantly higher than in the two subsequent trimesters (p < 0.05). Sexual satisfaction, measured through both DSSS and SARSS, was also strongly correlated with the level of satisfaction in the assessment of the partner relationship and with the sense of one’s own attractiveness (p < 0.05). Changes in sexual behavior and sexual problems are often exposed or worsened during a first pregnancy and can have negative impacts on a person and the future of relationships. Medical staff should be trained in the assessment of sexual difficulties in people during pregnancy, in order to conduct reliable education and increase the awareness of couples regarding sexual and reproductive health.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Changes in the Sexual Behavior of Partners in Each Trimester of Pregnancy in Otwock in Polish Couples

Kulhawik¹,

Krupa

Grabarek³

et al. 2022

IJERPH

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“…Research examining sexual frequency and desire during the transition to parenthood has largely focused on psychosocial and relational predictors of these outcomes, including stress, emotional support, and parents' perceptions of their relationship (Fitzpatrick et al, 2021). The association between sleep with sexual frequency and desire has received limited attention and no studies to our knowledge have examined the role of infant characteristics (i.e., infant sleep) as a precursor to these associations.…”

Section: Infant Sleep Parental Sleep Sexual Frequency and Desirementioning

confidence: 99%

“…In turn, shorter sleep duration is associated with poorer sexual function, including lower sexual desire (Afsahri et al, 2018). Qualitative and cross-sectional research show that parents identify fatigue as contributing to lower sexual frequency and desire in the first year after birth (Fitzpatrick et al, 2021), though more so for new mothers than fathers (Afsahri et al, 2018; Ahlborg et al, 2005). Poor sleep in mothers who have given birth may be due to heightened stress and mood symptoms (Loutzenhiser et al, 2015), as well as breastfeeding, which includes frequent nighttime awakenings (Gay et al, 2004).…”

Section: Changes In Sexual Frequency and Desire In The Transition To ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Indirect associations between infant sleep, parental sleep, and sexual well-being in new parent couples.

MacKenzie¹,

Gordon²,

Impett³

et al. 2023

Journal of Family Psychology

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New parents’ sexual frequency and desire fluctuate throughout the transition to parenthood (i.e., the first year after childbirth). Poorer infant sleep and parental sleep are each associated with lower sexual frequency and desire in cross-sectional research. According to the theory, infant sleep might shape new parents’ sexual frequency and desire in so far as it disrupts parental sleep, though this pathway has yet to be examined. We examined the role of parental sleep in the indirect pathway between infant sleep and sexual frequency and sexual desire in couples, both within and between-person, during the first-year postpartum. In a dyadic longitudinal study, 203 first-time mothers and their partners reported on infant sleep quality, parental sleep, sexual frequency, and sexual desire at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-months postpartum. Poorer infant sleep was associated with mothers’ (within-couple) and partners’ (between-couple) poorer sleep and, in turn, lower sexual frequency for the couple. For both mothers (within-person) and partners (between-person), poorer infant sleep was associated with their own lower sexual desire through poorer parental sleep via the indirect pathway. Ongoing assessment of infant sleep and parental sleep may reveal opportunities to mitigate the negative effects of poor sleep on new parents’ sexual relationships.

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“…In the transition to parenthood, new parents face distinct biological (e.g., hormonal changes related to breastfeeding, genital trauma from childbirth), psychological (e.g., postpartum depression), and social stressors (e.g., division of labour, changing identities) that have been linked to declines in sexual desire, and sexual and relationship satisfaction in both partners (Doss et al, 2009; Fitzpatrick et al, 2021). Additionally, by 3-months postpartum, most couples have resumed sexual activity (Lurie et al, 2013) and longitudinal studies sampling couples from pregnancy to 12-months postpartum reveal that sexual desire, sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction are lowest at 3-months postpartum (Leonhardt et al, 2022; Rosen et al, 2020).…”

Section: Systemic Transactional Model and Dyadic Coping In The Transi...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…New parents report many novel stressors relative to pre-pregnancy (e.g., increased fatigue, problems with mood, changing roles and responsibilities; Tavares et al, 2019), each of which can vary daily. Moreover, these stressors have been linked with lower sexual desire, sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction in new parents (De Judicibus & McCabe, 2002; Doss et al, 2009; Fitzpatrick et al, 2021). Indeed, over 40% of new parents experience declines in their sexual desire compared to pre-pregnancy (De Judicibus & McCabe, 2002; Fischman et al, 1986), and a similar percentage report declines in their overall sexual satisfaction (Ahlborg et al, 2005) and relationship satisfaction (Doss et al, 2009).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Daily dyadic coping: Associations with postpartum sexual desire and sexual and relationship satisfaction

Schwenck

Dawson

Allsop

et al. 2022

Journal of Social and Personal Relationships

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The transition to parenthood involves numerous stressors. Consequently, many new parents report negative changes to their sexual desire, sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction relative to pre-pregnancy, with the most disruption reported at 3-months postpartum. While prior research suggests that dyadic coping—a couple’s capacity to deal with stress effectively and mutually—is positively linked with relationship satisfaction, little is known about how it relates to sexual and relational outcomes in new parents’ daily lives. This study examined how common and negative dyadic coping were associated with new parents’ own and their partner’s daily sexual desire, sexual satisfaction, and relationship satisfaction. New parent couples ( N = 120) completed a baseline survey and 21 days of daily diaries between 3- and 4-months postpartum. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. After controlling for mood, for both women who gave birth and their partners, on days that they reported higher common dyadic coping, they reported greater sexual desire, and sexual and relationship satisfaction. On days when women reported lower negative dyadic coping, both they and their partner reported greater relationship satisfaction. When women reported higher common dyadic coping, their partners reported greater sexual desire. When women reported lower negative dyadic coping, they reported greater sexual desire. When partners reported lower negative dyadic coping, they reported greater relationship satisfaction. Focusing on strategies to encourage common and reduce negative daily dyadic coping may be beneficial for sexual and relationship well-being early in the postpartum when couples report experiencing a peak in sexual and relationship challenges.

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Perinatal Sexual Dysfunction: the Importance of the Interpersonal Context

Cited by 14 publications

References 97 publications

Changes in the Sexual Behavior of Partners in Each Trimester of Pregnancy in Otwock in Polish Couples

Changes in the Sexual Behavior of Partners in Each Trimester of Pregnancy in Otwock in Polish Couples

Indirect associations between infant sleep, parental sleep, and sexual well-being in new parent couples.

Daily dyadic coping: Associations with postpartum sexual desire and sexual and relationship satisfaction

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