Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-g8jcs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-07T02:29:45.692Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 6 - Sexual Practices during Pregnancy in Different Cultures

from Section 1 - General Issues

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 November 2022

Dan Farine
Affiliation:
Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto
Pablo Tobías González
Affiliation:
Hospital Universitario Infanta Cristina de Parla, Madrid
Get access

Summary

Sexual practices are strongly influenced by social and cultural norms and hence encompass a wide degree of heterogeneity between different cultures. Cultural diversity in sexual practices is subject to an even more complex array of sociocultural, physical, and psychological influences in pregnancy. The literature in this area demonstrates both this diversity and also commonalities among cultures, with universally high rates of female sexual dysfunction (FSD), unnecessary avoidance of sexual activity in pregnancy due to ill-informed fears, and unmet desire for antenatal education and assessment of sexual issues by health practitioners. This chapter presents the current evidence on rates of sexual activity and FSD in pregnancy and influences upon these in different cultures. Increasing awareness of common rates of sexual activity in pregnancy may normalize a reduction in activity and consequently reassure couples that such changes are not necessarily indicative of relationship issues. Conversely, identifying and addressing preventable issues affecting sexual health in pregnancy could potentially improve parental well-being, strengthen family bonds, and positively impact the development of offspring.

Type
Chapter
Information
Sex and Pregnancy
From Evidence-Based Medicine to Dr Google
, pp. 32 - 42
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Zakšek, T.. Sexual activity during pregnancy in childbirth and after childbirth. In Mivšek, A. P., ed. Sexology in Midwifery. London: IntechOpen, 2015: 111–33.Google Scholar
von Sydow, K.. Sexuality during pregnancy and after childbirth: a metacontent analysis of 59 studies. J Psychosom Res 1999;47:2749.Google Scholar
Gałązka, I., Drosdzol-Cop, A., Naworska, B., Czajkowska, M., Skrzypulec-Plinta, V.. Changes in the sexual function during pregnancy. J Sex Med 2015;12:445–54.Google Scholar
Adinma, J.. Sexual activity during and after pregnancy. Adv Contracept 1996;12:5361.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Eryilmaz, G., Ege, E., Zincir, H.. Factors affecting sexual life during pregnancy in eastern Turkey. Gynecol Obstet Invest 2004;57:103–8.Google Scholar
Hyde, J. S., DeLamater, J. D., Plant, E. A., Byrd, J. M.. Sexuality during pregnancy and the year postpartum. J Sex Res 1996;33:143–51.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kiemtorè, S., Ouèdraogo, I., Ouattara, A., et al. Sex during pregnancy: opinions, attitudes and practices among pregnant women. J Women’s Health Care 2016;5:15.Google Scholar
Naim, M., Bhutto, E.. Sexuality during pregnancy in Pakistan women. J Pak Med Assoc 2000;50:3844.Google Scholar
Senkumwong, N., Chaovisitsaree, S., Rugpao, S., Chandrawongse, W., Yanunto, S.. The changes of sexuality in Thai women during pregnancy. J Med Assoc Thai 2006;89(Suppl 4):S124–9.Google ScholarPubMed
Ahmed, M. R., Madny, E. H., Sayed Ahmed, W. A.. Prevalence of female sexual dysfunction during pregnancy among Egyptian women. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2014;40:1023–9.Google Scholar
Liu, H., Hsu, P., Chen, K.. Sexual activity during pregnancy in Taiwan: a qualitative study. Sex Med 2013;1:5461.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Anzaku, A., Ngozi, O., Dabu, B., Edet, E.. Frequency, perceptions and complications of sexual activity during pregnancy among a group of Nigerian women. Int Arch Integrated Med 2015;2:5463.Google Scholar
Fok, W., Chan, L., Yuen, P.. Sexual behavior and activity in Chinese pregnant women. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 2005;84:934–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Babazadeh, R., Mirzaii, K., Masomi, Z.. Changes in sexual desire and activity during pregnancy among women in Shahroud, Iran. Int J Gynecol Obstet 2013;120:82–4.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bartellas, E., Crane, J., Daley, M., Bennett, K. A., Hutchens, D.. Sexuality and sexual activity in pregnancy. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 2000;107:964–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Corbacioglu Esmer, A., Akca, A., Akbayir, O., Goksedef, B., Bakir, V.. Female sexual function and associated factors during pregnancy. J Obstet Gynaecol Res 2013;39:1165–72.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Livingstone, J. D., Ralte, L., Magar, J. T., et al. Sexual behaviour in pregnancy among antenatal women attending a secondary hospital in southern India. Int J Community Med Public Health 2018;5:3501–5.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Moodley, J., Khedun, S.. Sexual activity during pregnancy: a questionnaire-based study. South Afr J Epidemiol Infect 2011;26:33–5.Google Scholar
Staruch, M., Kucharczyk, A., Zawadzka, K., Wielgos, M., Szymusik, I.. Sexual activity during pregnancy. Neuro Endocrinol Lett 2016;37:101–6.Google Scholar
Torkestani, F., Hadavand, S., Khodashenase, Z., et al. Frequency and perception of sexual activity during pregnancy in Iranian couples. Int J Fertil Steril 2012;6:107–10.Google Scholar
Gökyildiz, S., Beji, N.. The effects of pregnancy on sexual life. J Sex Marital Ther 2005;31:201–15.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Košec, T., Jug Došler, A., Kusterle, M., Mivšek, A. P.. Sex life during pregnancy. Slovenian Nurs Rev 2019;53:280–7.Google Scholar
Ninivaggio, C., Rogers, R., Leeman, L., et al. Sexual function changes during pregnancy. Int Urogynecol J 2017;28:923–9.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Ryding, E.. Sexuality during and after pregnancy. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 1984;63:679–82.Google Scholar
Alizadeh, S., Riazi, H., Alavi Majd, H., Ozgoli, G.. Factors affecting the variation in sexual activity and response before and during pregnancy among pregnant women in Rasht City, Northern Iran. Galen Med J 2019;8:e1531.Google Scholar
Rosen, R., Brown, C., Heiman, J., et al. The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI): a multidimensional self-report instrument for the assessment of female sexual function. J Sex Marital Ther 2000;26:191208.Google Scholar
Wiegel, M., Meston, C., Rosen, R.. The female sexual function index (FSFI): cross-validation and development of clinical cutoff scores. J Sex Marital Ther 2005;31:120.Google Scholar
Aslan, G., Aslan, D., Kizilyar, A., Ispahi, C., Esen, A.. A prospective analysis of sexual functions during pregnancy. Int J Impot Res 2005;17:154–7.Google Scholar
Chang, S., Chen, K., Lin, H., Yu, H.. Comparison of overall sexual function, sexual intercourse/activity, sexual satisfaction, and sexual desire during the three trimesters of pregnancy and assessment of their determinants. J Sex Med 2011;8:2859–67.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Khalesi, Z., Bokaie, M., Attari, S.. Effect of pregnancy on sexual function of couples. Afr Health Sci 2018;18:227–34.Google Scholar
Leite, A., Campos, A., Dias, A., et al. Prevalence of sexual dysfunction during pregnancy. Rev Assoc Med Bras (1992) 2009;55:563–8.Google Scholar
Uwapusitanon, W., Choobun, T.. Sexuality and sexual activity in pregnancy. J Med Assoc Thai 2004;87(Suppl 3):S45–9.Google Scholar
Erol, B., Sanli, O., Korkmaz, D., et al. A cross-sectional study of female sexual function and dysfunction during pregnancy. J Sex Med 2007;4:1381–7.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Yıldız, H.. The relation between prepregnancy sexuality and sexual function during pregnancy and the postpartum period: a prospective study. J Sex Marital Ther 2015;41:4959.Google Scholar
Beveridge, J., Vannier, S., Rosen, N.. Fear-based reasons for not engaging in sexual activity during pregnancy: associations with sexual and relationship well-being. J Psychosom Obstet Gynaecol 2018;39:138–45.Google Scholar
Trutnovsky, G., Haas, J., Lang, U., Petru, E.. Women’s perception of sexuality during pregnancy and after birth. Aust NZ J Obstet Gynaecol 2006;46:282–7.Google ScholarPubMed
Ribeiro, M. C., de Tubino Scanavino, M., do Amaral, M. L. S., de Moraes Horta, A. L., Torloni, M. R.. Beliefs about sexual activity during pregnancy: a systematic review of the literature. J Sex Marital Ther 2017;43:822–32.Google Scholar
Jamali, S., Mosalanejad, L.. Sexual dysfunction in Iranian pregnant women. Iran J Reprod Med 2013;11:479–86.Google Scholar
Althabe, F., Sosa, C., Belizán, J., et al. Cesarean section rates and maternal and neonatal mortality in low-, medium-, and high-income countries: an ecological study. Birth 2006;33:270–7.Google Scholar
Eidelman, A.. The impact of culture on breastfeeding rates. Breastfeeding Med 2016;11: 215.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Afshar, M., Mohammad-Alizadeh-Charandabi, S., Merghti-Khoei, E., Yavarikia, P.. The effect of sex education on the sexual function of women in the first half of pregnancy: a randomized controlled trial. J Caring Sci 2012;1:173–81.Google Scholar
Bahadoran, P., MohammadiMahdiabadzade, M., Nasiri, H., GholamiDehaghi, A.. The effect of face-to-face or group education during pregnancy on sexual function of couples in Isfahan. Iran J Nurs Midwifery Res 2015;20:582–7.Google ScholarPubMed
Heidari, M., Aminshokravi, F., Zayeri, F., Azin, S.. Effect of sexual education on sexual function of Iranian couples during pregnancy: a quasi experimental study. J Reprod Infertil 2018;19:3948.Google ScholarPubMed
Mahnaz, E., Nasim, B., Sonia, O.. Effect of a structured educational package on women’s sexual function during pregnancy. Int J Gynaecol Obstet 2020;148:225–30.Google Scholar
Wannakosit, S., Phupong, V.. Sexual behavior in pregnancy: comparing between sexual education group and nonsexual education group. J Sex Med 2010;7:3434–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Okedo-Alex, I. N., Akamike, I. C., Ezeanosike, O. B., Uneke, C. J.. Determinants of antenatal care utilisation in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review. BMJ Open 2019;9:e031890.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×