Advances in Nursing & Midwifery

Abstract

Background

With respect to physical and emotional alterations in pregnancy, alterations in sexual drive are of concern in sexual health of this period. 4 patterns of gestational sexual drive are suggested: 1. Increased drive; 2. Decreased drive in the 1^st trimester, moderate increase in the 2^nd, and decrease in the 3^rd trimesters; 3. Deceased sexual drive in pregnancy; and 4. Lack o drive.

Purpose

This descriptive study was conducted to identify changes in sexual drive of women referring to hospitals affiliated with Shaheed Beheshti Medical University in 2006.

Methods

400 women referring to prenatal clinics were selected by quota sampling for each hospital and simple random method in each setting. A questionnaire was used for data collection. Content validity and test-retest reliability were used for the tool. An expert with the Master of Science in midwifery interviewed the subjects to complete the questionnaire.

Results

Mean ages of women and their husbands were 26.1±4.8 and 31.6±5.7 respectively and their marital period was 5.9±4.8. 3%, 28.8% and 68.2% were in the 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd trimester of pregnancy. 61% had no specific problem at this stage. 58% considered their sexual contact disgusting. 96%, 92.2% and 94.1% experienced less pleasure than before from sexual relationships in the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd trimester respectively. 83.2%, 80% and 77% had decreased sexual contacts in the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd trimester. 50%, 41.7% and 56% experienced less arousal than before in the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd trimester respectively. 75%, 57.4% and 62.3% had less sexual desire than before in the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd trimester respectively. 49.25% believed that pregnancy had no effect on their sexual contact.

Conclusion

It seems that sexual drive decreases in pregnancy. Thus, proper instruction and consultation programs are recommended for better coping of couples to decrease related problems and complications.