Sexuality During Pregnancy

This cross-sectional study has been planned to determine the effects of pregnancy on sexuality. This cross-sectional study was performed between September '98-September '9$) on pregnant women who applied to The Woman and Child Health Research Unit service to receive 'antenatal education'. The criteria for inclusion into the study were: volunteering to participate in the research; not restricted by the physician to vin~ sexual intercourse; not being at any risk from pregnancy The sampling consisted of iti all (n=l05) pregnant women, who were attending antenatal classes during the abov~ period of time and who met the criteria for inclusion into the study. Interview form prepared by the researcher in the light of literature was the mean:,;; · by which the face to face interviews with the pregnant women were con.ducted. Beside:_;; the questions about their characteristics, the cases were also asked to assess and score their own sexuality before and durin~ pregnan~y. Sexual complaints .during pregnancy and the intensity of such were what this study aimed to further determine. Data analysis was performed using SPSS Software. Sexual activity and satisfaction were no~iced to decrease p~o~ressively durin~ pregnancy, compared to the period prior to this process. The majority of the grou~ reported more than one complaint about sexuality during pregnancy. The most commoti of these complaints were anxiety over doing harm to the baby, fear of miscarriage an<::1 infection, weariness, low arousal and dyspareunia. Most of the complaints did not "~ beyond mere anxieties, and it was determined that they could be eliminated by enlightening the pregnant females and their partners. This counselling service can be rendered by nurses and midwives in antenatal classes.