Comparison of female sexual satisfaction of primiparous women before and after pregnancy and its impact in life quality: a prospective cohort study

Abstract

Background: Approximately a 90% of of women suffer sexual problems after the delivery. Changes such as dyspareunia, lack of libido, vaginal dryness and lack of orgasm can have significant effects on female sexual response and sexual interest for what sexual activity tends to be reduced after pregnancy. These problems are related with several factors such as parity, breast feeding, mode of delivery, episiotomy, stress, fatigue and physical and psychological problems which can cause a decrease in sexual satisfaction during this period and many of them may leave long-term sequels. Despite having this knowledge about the changes that can occur in sexuality during pregnancy and postpartum, it still a taboo subject on which in general, gynecoobstetricians remain silent and the patient feels intimidated to aboard. Women tend to assume that changes in sexual satisfaction after pregnancy are part of normality and the silence of medical staff only favors this belief. Objective: The aim of this study is to make a prospective cohort study to compare female sexual satisfaction before and after pregnancy and delivery and it’s impact in life quality. We also want to determine the influence of some co-variables that we considered important in sexual satisfaction (age, lactation sex orientation, mode of delivery, premature delivery, episiotomy, multiple pregnancy, post-partum depression, occupation, age of partner, years of relationship). A long term objective, taking into account the results of our study, is to implement strategies to prevent or to treat the sexual disfunction that occurs after delivery. Design: The study will be a multicenter observational prospective cohort. We will use a consecutive method of sampling of patients attending Gynecology and Obstetrics Department of five sanitary centers. The University Hospital Josep Trueta will be the coordinator center. Participants: Primiparous women over 18 years that accomplish the inclusion criteria and none of the exclusion criteria. Methods: We will record sexual satisfaction and life quality of our patients using the FSFI and the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaires, respectively. Those questionnaires will be answered in three times (first pregnancy control, 6 weeks after delivery and a year after delivery). Once we collected all the data a statistical analysis will be performed by a specialist