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Prevalence of postpartum dyspareunia: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Mojdeh Banaei1, Nourossadat Kariman2, Giti Ozgoli2
1Student Research Committee, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Background:
Dyspareunia is one of the most common postpartum sexual dysfunctions.
Objective:
To estimate the prevalence of postpartum dyspareunia.
Search Strategy:
Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Embase databases were searched to July 2019 using keywords including 'perineal pain,' 'dyspareunia,' and 'sexual pain'.
Selection Criteria:
Observational studies on the prevalence of postpartum dyspareunia were included.
Data Collection And Analysis:
Two authors independently reviewed articles and extracted data. Study heterogeneity was evaluated by I2 index; publication bias by Egger and Begg tests.
Main Results:
Twenty-two studies enrolling 11 457 women were included. Based on meta-analysis, the overall estimated prevalence of dyspareunia was 35% (95% confidence interval [CI], 29%-41%). The prevalence was 42% (95% CI, 26%-60%) at 2 months, 43% (95% CI, 36%-50%) at 2-6 months, and 22% (95% CI, 15%-29%) at 6-12 months postpartum. Begg test showed no significant bias in data related to the prevalence of postpartum dyspareunia (p = 0.466).
Conclusion:
The prevalence of postpartum dyspareunia was 35% and decreased with increasing postpartum duration. Given the high prevalence and its impact on a woman's quality of life, special attention should be paid to this common complaint during the postpartum period.
