Exploring Women's Postpartum Sexuality: Social, Psychological, Relational, and Birth-Related Contextual Factors

Journal of Sexual Medicine

Volumn 9, Issue 9, 2012, Pages 2330-2341

  Hipp, Lauren E ^a   Kane Low, Lisa ^a   Van Anders, Sari M ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN   (United States)

Author keywords

Birth; Breastfeeding; Intercourse; Masturbation; Oral Sex; Pleasure; Postpartum; Sexual Desire; Sexuality; Women

Indexed keywords

ADULT; ARTICLE; ATTITUDE TO HEALTH; ATTITUDE TO SEXUALITY; BABY; BIRTH; BODY IMAGE; BODY IMAGE SELF CONSCIOUSNESS SCALE; BREAST FEEDING; CLINICAL ASSESSMENT TOOL; FATIGUE; FEMALE; HUMAN; INTIMACY; MAJOR CLINICAL STUDY; MASTURBATION; MULTIDIMENSIONAL SCALE OF PERCEIVED SOCIAL SUPPORT; ORAL SEXUAL CONTACT; OUTCOME ASSESSMENT; PERCEIVED STRESS SCALE; PERSONAL EXPERIENCE; POSTPARTUM SEXUALITY; PRIORITY JOURNAL; PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECT; PUERPERIUM; QUESTIONNAIRE; QUESTIONNAIRE MEASURING ATTITUDES ABOUT LABOR AND DELIVERY; RETROSPECTIVE STUDY; SEXUAL BEHAVIOR; SEXUAL DESIRE INVENTORY; SEXUAL INTERCOURSE; SEXUAL SATISFACTION; SEXUALITY; SLEEP; SOCIAL ASPECT; SOCIAL SUPPORT; STRESS; VAGINAL INJURY; WOMEN'S HEALTH; XEROSIS;

EID: 84865747232     PISSN: 17436095     EISSN: 17436109     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02804.x     Document Type: Article

References (52)

1. Brtnicka H, Weiss P, Zverina J. Human sexuality during pregnancy and the postpartum period. Bratisl Lek Listy 2009;110:427-31.
2. De Judicibus MA, McCabe MP. Psychological factors and the sexuality of pregnant and postpartum women. J Sex Res 2002;39:94-103.
3. von Sydow K, Ullmeyer M, Happ N. Sexual activity during pregnancy and after childbirth: Results from the Sexual Preferences Questionnaire. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 2001;22:29-40.
4. Fischman SH, Rankin EA, Soeken KL, Lenz ER. Changes in sexual relationships in postpartum couples. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 1986;15:58-63.
5. Ahlborg T, Strandmark M, Dahlof LG. First-time parents' sexual relationships. Scand J Sexol 2000;3:127-39.
6. Ahlborg T, Dahlof L, Hallberg LR. Quality of intimate and sexual relationship in first-time parents six months after delivery. J Sex Res 2005;42:167-74.
7. Glazener CM. Sexual function after childbirth: Women's experiences, persistent morbidity and lack of professional recognition. BJOG 1997;104:330-5.
8. Alder EM. Sexual behaviour in pregnancy, after childbirth and during breast-feeding. Baillieres Clin Obstet Gynaecol 1989;3:805-21.
9. Rogers RG, Borders N, Leeman LM, Albers LL. Does spontaneous genital tract trauma impact postpartum sexual function? J Midwifery Womens Health 2009;54:98-103.
10. Chivers ML, Pittini R, Grigoriadis S, Villegas L, Ross LE. The relationship between sexual functioning and depressive symptomatology in postpartum women: A pilot study. J Sex Med 2011;8:792-9.
11. Morof D, Barrett G, Peacock J, Victor CR, Manyonda I. Postnatal depression and sexual health after childbirth. Obstet Gynecol 2003;102:1318-25.
12. Ahlborg T, Strandmark M. The baby was the focus of attention-First-time parents' experiences of their intimate relationship. Scand J Caring Sci 2001;15:318-25.
13. Landis JT, Poffenberger T, Proffenberger S. The effects of first pregnancy upon the sexual adjustment of 212 couples. Am Sociol Rev 1950;15:766-72.
14. Johnson CE. Sexual health during pregnancy and the postpartum. J Sex Med 2011;8:1267-84.
15. Pertot S. Postpartum loss of sexual desire and enjoyment. Aust J Psychol 1981;33:11-8.
16. Belsky J, Rovine M. Patterns of marital change across the transition to parenthood: Pregnancy to three years postpartum. J Marriage Fam 1990;52:5-19.
17. Olsson A, Lundqvist M, Faxelid E, Nissen E. Women's thoughts about sexual life after childbirth: Focus group discussions with women after childbirth. Scand J Caring Sci 2005;19:381-7.
18. von Sydow K. Sexuality during pregnancy and after childbirth: A metacontent analysis of 59 studies. J Psychosom Res 1999;47:27-49.
19. Ellis DJ, Hewat RJ. Mothers' postpartum perceptions of spousal relationships. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 1985;14:140-6.
20. Hames CT. Sexual needs and interests of postpartum couples. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs 1980;9:313-5.
21. Abdool Z, Thakar R, Sultan AH. Postpartum female sexual function. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2009;145:133-7.
22. Grudzinskas JG, Atkinson L. Sexual function during the puerperium. Arch Sex Behav 1984;13:85-91.
23. Barrett G, Peacock J, Victor CR, Manyonda I. Cesarean section and postnatal sexual health. Birth 2005;32:306-11.
24. Connolly A, Thorp J, Pahel L. Effects of pregnancy and childbirth on postpartum sexual function: A longitudinal prospective study. Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct 2005;16:263-7.
25. Buhling KJ, Schmidt S, Robinson JN, Klapp C, Siebert G, Dudenhausen JW. Rate of dyspareunia after delivery in primiparae according to mode of delivery. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2006;124:42-6.
26. Woranitat W, Taneepanichskul S. Sexual function during the postpartum period. J Med Assoc Thai 2007;90:1744-8.
27. Andrews V, Thakar R, Sultan AH, Jones PW. Evaluation of postpartum perineal pain and dyspareunia-A prospective study. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 2008;137:152-6.
28. Rathfisch G, Dikencik BK, Kizilkaya Beji N, Comert N, Tekirdag AI, Kadioglu A. Effects of perineal trauma on postpartum sexual function. J Adv Nurs 2010;66:2640-9.
29. Safarinejad MR, Kolahi AA, Hosseini L. The effect of the mode of delivery on the quality of life, sexual function, and sexual satisfaction in primiparous women and their husbands. J Sex Med 2009;6:1645-67.
30. Barrett G, Pendry E, Peacock J, Victor C, Thakar R, Manyonda I. Women's sexual health after childbirth. BJOG 2000;107:186-95.
31. Byrd JE, Hyde JS, DeLamater JD, Plant EA. Sexuality during pregnancy and the year postpartum. J Fam Pract 1998;47:305-8.
32. Rowland M, Foxcroft L, Hopman W, Patel R. Breastfeeding and sexuality immediately post partum. Can Fam Physician 2005;51:1366-7.
33. Ryding EL. Sexuality during and after pregnancy. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 1984;63:679-82.
34. LaMarre AK, Paterson LQ, Gorzalka BB. Breastfeeding and postpartum maternal sexual functioning: A review. Can J Hum Sex 2003;12:151-68.
35. Kruger TH, Haake P, Chereath D, Knapp W, Janssen OE, Exton MS, Schedlowski M, Hartmann U. Specificity of the neuroendocrine response to orgasm during sexual arousal in men. J Endocrinol 2003;177:57-64.
36. Kenny JA. Sexuality of pregnant and breastfeeding women. Arch Sex Behav 1973;2:215-29.
37. Avery MD, Duckett L, Frantzich CR. The experience of sexuality during breastfeeding among primiparous women. J Midwifery Womens Health 2000;45:227-37.
38. Rosen R, Brown C, Heiman J, Leiblum S, Meston C, Shabsigh R, Ferguson D, D'Agostino R Jr. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI): A multidimensional self-report instrument for the assessment of female sexual function. J Sex Marital Ther 2000;26:191-208.
39. Serati M, Salvatore S, Siesto G, Cattoni E, Zanirato M, Khullar V, Cromi A, Ghezzi F, Bolis P. Female sexual function during pregnancy and after childbirth. J Sex Med 2010;7:2782-90.
40. Chang SR, Chang TC, Chen KH, Lin HH. Sexual function in women 3 days and 6 weeks after childbirth: A prospective longitudinal study using the Taiwan version of the Female Sexual Function Index. J Sex Med 2010;7:3946-56.
41. Levine SB. Intrapsychic and individual aspects of sexual desire. In: Levine SB, Leiblum SR, Rosen RC, eds. Sexual desire disorders. New York: Guilford Press; 1988:21-44.
42. Davies S, Katz J, Jackson JL. Sexual desire discrepancies: Effects on sexual and relationship satisfaction in heterosexual dating couples. Arch Sex Behav 1999;28:553-67.
43. Masters WH, Johnson VE. Human sexual response. Boston: Little Brown and Company; 1966:366pp.
44. Barrett G, Pendry E, Peacock J, Victor C, Thakar R, Manyonda I. Women's sexuality after childbirth: A pilot study. Arch Sex Behav 1999;28:179-91.
45. Marut JS, Mercer RT. Comparison of primiparas' perceptions of vaginal and Cesarean births. Nurs Res 1979;28:260-6.
46. Cohen S, Kamarck T, Mermelstein R. A global measure of perceived stress. J Health Soc Behav 1983;24:385-96.
47. Zimet G, Dahlem N, Zimet S, Farley G. The multidimensional scale of perceived social support. J Pers Assess 1988;52:30-41.
48. Wiederman M. Women's body image self-consciousness during physical intimacy with a partner. J Sex Res 2000;37:60-8.
49. Spector IP, Carey MP, Steinberg L. The Sexual Desire Inventory: Development, factor structure, and evidence of reliability. J Sex Marital Ther 1996;22:175-90.
50. Bay-Cheng LY, Robinson AD, Zucker AN. Behavioral and relational contexts of adolescent desire, wanting, and pleasure: Undergraduate women's retrospective accounts. J Sex Res 2009;46:511-24.
51. Hite S. The Hite report: A nationwide study of female sexuality. New York: Seven Stories Press; 2004:512pp.
52. Reinholtz RK, Muehlenhard CL. Genital perceptions and sexual activity in a college population. J Sex Res 1995;32:155-65.