The effect of mode of delivery on postpartum sexual functioning in primiparous women

Abstract EN

Objective: To evaluate the effect of mode of delivery on postpartum sexual functioning in primiparous women.

Methods: In this cross-sectional descriptive study, 150 primiparous women in postpartum period, who attended the family planning or vaccination clinics, were enrolled for the study.

Eighty-one had vaginal delivery with episiotomy and 69 had experienced cesarean section.

Sexual function was evaluated by the Female Sexual Function Index within 3 and 6 months postpartum.

Results: About 29% in vaginal delivery group and 37% in cesarean delivery group had resumed their sexual intercourses four weeks after delivery (p=0.280).There were no significant differences between mode of delivery and sexual functioning, including desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain.

Conclusion: The present study showed that postpartum sexual functioning was not associated with the type of delivery.