Does method of birth make a difference to when women resume sex after childbirth?. Issue 7 (27th February 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: McDonald, EA; Brown, SJ
• Is Part Of: BJOG. Volume 120:Issue 7(2013:Jul.)
• Page Start: 823
• Page End: 830
• Publication Date: 2013-02-27
• Subjects: Obstetrics -- Periodicals; Gynecology -- Periodicals; 618
• DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.12166
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1470-0328

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="bjo12166-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="bjo12166-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objective</title> <p>To investigate the timing of resumption of vaginal sex and assess associations with method of birth, perineal trauma and other obstetric and social factors.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo12166-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Design</title> <p>Prospective pregnancy cohort study of nulliparous women.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo12166-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Setting</title> <p>Melbourne, Australia.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo12166-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Sample</title> <p>A total of 1507 nulliparous women recruited in early pregnancy (≤24 weeks).</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo12166-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Method</title> <p>Women were recruited from six public hospitals. Data from hospital records and self‐administered questionnaires at recruitment and 3, 6 and 12 months postpartum were analysed using univariable and multivariable logistic regression.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo12166-sec-0006" sec-type="section"> <title>Main outcome measure</title> <p>Resumption of vaginal sex.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo12166-sec-0007" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Sexual activity was resumed earlier than vaginal sex, with 53% resuming sexual activity by 6 weeks postpartum, and 41% attempting vaginal sex. By 8 weeks a majority of women had attempted vaginal sex (65%), increasing to 78% by 12 weeks, and 94% by 6 months. Compared with women who had a spontaneous vaginal birth with an intact perineum, women who had a spontaneous vaginal birth with an episiotomy (adjusted odds ratio 3.43, 95% confidence interval 1.9–6.2) or sutured perineal tear (adjusted odds ratio 3.18, 95% confidence interval 2.1–4.9) were more likely not to have resumed vaginal sex by 6 weeks postpartum. Similarly, women who had an assisted vaginal birth or caesarean section had raised odds of delaying resumption of sex.</p> </sec> <sec id="bjo12166-sec-0008" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusions</title> <p>Most women having a first birth do not resume vaginal sex until later than 6 weeks postpartum. Women who have an operative vaginal birth, caesarean section or perineal tear or episiotomy appear to delay longer.</p> </sec> </abstract>