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Published on: August 13, 2015
Sexuality during pregnancy and the year postpartum
J E Byrd1, J S Hyde, J D DeLamater
1Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706, USA.
The Journal of Family Practice
|October 28, 1998
Summary
Sexual activity significantly drops postpartum, especially for breastfeeding mothers. Couples resume intercourse around 7 weeks, with cesarean delivery potentially leading to earlier resumption. Healthcare providers should discuss these changes.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Health
- Maternal-Child Health
- Human Sexuality
Background:
- Previous research on postpartum sexual behavior suffered from volunteer sampling bias.
- This study utilized a sample recruited for a less sensitive topic, including both mothers and fathers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate changes in sexual behavior and satisfaction during pregnancy and the postpartum year.
- To identify factors influencing sexual activity, such as breastfeeding and mode of delivery.
Main Methods:
- Surveyed 570 pregnant women and 550 partners at four time points: 5 months pregnancy, 1, 4, and 12 months postpartum.
- Data collected through interviews.
Main Results:
- Sexual intercourse dropped from ~90% during pregnancy to ~19% at 1 month postpartum.
- Couples typically resumed intercourse around 7 weeks postpartum.
- Breastfeeding was associated with significantly less sexual activity and satisfaction; cesarean delivery showed slightly earlier resumption of intercourse.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare providers should counsel couples on typical postpartum sexual patterns, including those related to breastfeeding.
- Open discussion about expected sexual changes during prenatal care can improve comfort during the postpartum transition.
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