COVID-19 Quarantine and Sexual Function after First Vaginal Delivery

Sexual function is an important part of quality of life at all ages. Childbirth brings many changes that may affect sexual function. During COVID-19 global pandemic, nuclear families were forced to stay home. The goal of this study was to evaluate sexual function during the COVID-19 quarantine, in postpartum couples in the first months following their first vaginal childbirth.

This is a single-center, prospective study of females following their first vaginal delivery and their male partners. Participants were recruited in the maternity ward after their first delivery at Rambam Medical Center. Both spouses signed a consent form for answering the sexual function questionnaires.

Participants were interviewed by telephone during the last week of the first COVID-19 quarantine, according to Arizona Sexual Experience Scale (ASEX).

pre- and post-quarantine sexual function according to ASEX scores. ASEX is a survey that assesses sexual drive, arousal, vaginal lubrication, the ability to reach orgasm, and satisfaction from orgasm. Responses are scored on a 1-6 Likert scale with a potential range of 5-30, where the highest scores indicate worse sexual function.

The participants were 38 women and 29 men. The average time from delivery to the interviews was 182.8 ± 84.7 days; 56% of the spouses were under quarantine. The median baseline total ASEX score was 13 (sexual drive 3, arousal 2.5, vaginal lubrication 2.5, ability to reach orgasm 2, orgasm satisfaction 2) for women and 11 (sexual drive 3, arousal 2, penile erection 1, ability to reach orgasm 2, orgasm satisfaction 2) for men. Sixteen percent of the women and none of the men had a baseline sexual dysfunction (ASEX score >19). Significant differences were not observed in total ASEX scores before and during the quarantine.

Sexual function at the end of the quarantine was evaluated prospectively and pre-quarantine sexual function was evaluated retrospectively, with the limitation of recall bias.

COVID-19 quarantine did not seem to have a significant effect on female or male sexual function, three to 9 months after the first vaginal delivery. The current study is the first to describe primiparous postpartum sexual function as median ASEX score.