Page 100 - Petelin, Ana, Nejc Šarabon, Boštjan Žvanut, eds. 2017. Zdravje delovno aktivne populacije ▪︎ Health of the Working-Age Population. Proceedings. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
P. 100
avje delovno aktivne populacije | health of the working-age population 98 Discussion
Changes in the period after childbirth can significantly affect the relationship
between partners because sexuality plays an important role in their shared life.
A childbirth may thoroughly change communication and sex life of a couple
and therefore it is very important how partners accept their parent roles and at
the same time remain sexual partners to each other. Based on the literature re-
view and our survey we realised that about a third of the women (32.2%) suffer
from dyspareunia after childbirth, and the risk is even higher in the presence of
former dyspareunia and labour interventions (Buhling et al., 2006; Klein et al.,
2009). Woolhouse et al. (2014) discovered that psychological factors also influ-
ence the frequency of sexual intercourse and women’s satisfaction with it. Car-
ing for a child can cause stress to a woman. Like others, our research similar-
ly confirmed that poor self-image of women after birth can cause lower libido.
Namely, quite a percentage of the women (14%) who answered our question-
naire had difficulties accepting their changed body after childbirth and some
could not stop thinking of their baby during sexual intercourse (17%).
A common challenge that couples face in the postpartum period is a
lack of open discussion about sex between partners and a shortage of infor-
mation available from health care professionals about the spectrum of factors
that may influence couple’s sexual function immediately or soon after child-
birth. In our research, as much as 35% of the women want to experience sexu-
al intercourse more often; nevertheless, it is encouraging that as much as 57%
are satisfied with the frequency of sexual intercourse. Taking into consider-
ation that as much as 36% of the women report being less satisfied with sex af-
ter childbirth, we can assume that the background reasons could be insuffi-
cient taking of sexual history and discomfort of women or couples to openly
discuss sexuality and the troubles they encounter. Slovenian women rarely at-
tend sex therapy due to the consequences of childbirth on their sex life (Škodič
Zakšek, 2015). Moreover, sexologists are almost non-existent in Slovenia. If we
assume this to be a standard part of midwifery treatment, midwives need addi-
tional knowledge and skills. Only in the past few years, the existing midwife-
ry educational system has included emphasis on education about discussion
and treatment of sexuality (Mivšek, 2015). Already during pregnancy women
and their partners experience sexuality in different ways which may in turn af-
fect the first sexual intercourse after childbirth and sex after childbirth in gen-
eral (Makara-Studzińska et al, 2015). The latter can also affect the child and his
or her sexual development (Jug Došler, 2015). In addition, Lee and Yen (2007)
call attention to the fact that health care professionals should play a more ac-
tive role and more openly discuss sexual activity and (lack of) sexual pleasure
with both partners during the first postpartum check-up with the gynaecolo-
gist. They came to the conclusion that individualised approach is the most ap-
propriate form of sex education in the postpartum period. We would like to
point out that in Slovenia there is no adequate program for the screening of sex-
related problems that could improve the sex life of couples during very vulner-
Changes in the period after childbirth can significantly affect the relationship
between partners because sexuality plays an important role in their shared life.
A childbirth may thoroughly change communication and sex life of a couple
and therefore it is very important how partners accept their parent roles and at
the same time remain sexual partners to each other. Based on the literature re-
view and our survey we realised that about a third of the women (32.2%) suffer
from dyspareunia after childbirth, and the risk is even higher in the presence of
former dyspareunia and labour interventions (Buhling et al., 2006; Klein et al.,
2009). Woolhouse et al. (2014) discovered that psychological factors also influ-
ence the frequency of sexual intercourse and women’s satisfaction with it. Car-
ing for a child can cause stress to a woman. Like others, our research similar-
ly confirmed that poor self-image of women after birth can cause lower libido.
Namely, quite a percentage of the women (14%) who answered our question-
naire had difficulties accepting their changed body after childbirth and some
could not stop thinking of their baby during sexual intercourse (17%).
A common challenge that couples face in the postpartum period is a
lack of open discussion about sex between partners and a shortage of infor-
mation available from health care professionals about the spectrum of factors
that may influence couple’s sexual function immediately or soon after child-
birth. In our research, as much as 35% of the women want to experience sexu-
al intercourse more often; nevertheless, it is encouraging that as much as 57%
are satisfied with the frequency of sexual intercourse. Taking into consider-
ation that as much as 36% of the women report being less satisfied with sex af-
ter childbirth, we can assume that the background reasons could be insuffi-
cient taking of sexual history and discomfort of women or couples to openly
discuss sexuality and the troubles they encounter. Slovenian women rarely at-
tend sex therapy due to the consequences of childbirth on their sex life (Škodič
Zakšek, 2015). Moreover, sexologists are almost non-existent in Slovenia. If we
assume this to be a standard part of midwifery treatment, midwives need addi-
tional knowledge and skills. Only in the past few years, the existing midwife-
ry educational system has included emphasis on education about discussion
and treatment of sexuality (Mivšek, 2015). Already during pregnancy women
and their partners experience sexuality in different ways which may in turn af-
fect the first sexual intercourse after childbirth and sex after childbirth in gen-
eral (Makara-Studzińska et al, 2015). The latter can also affect the child and his
or her sexual development (Jug Došler, 2015). In addition, Lee and Yen (2007)
call attention to the fact that health care professionals should play a more ac-
tive role and more openly discuss sexual activity and (lack of) sexual pleasure
with both partners during the first postpartum check-up with the gynaecolo-
gist. They came to the conclusion that individualised approach is the most ap-
propriate form of sex education in the postpartum period. We would like to
point out that in Slovenia there is no adequate program for the screening of sex-
related problems that could improve the sex life of couples during very vulner-
