%0 Journal Article
%T Frequency and Perception of Sexual Activity during Pregnancy in Iranian Couples
%A Farahnaz Torkestani
%A Shahrzad Hadavand
%A Zohreh Khodashenase
%A Sima Besharat
%J International Journal of Fertility & Sterility
%D 2012
%I Royan Institute
%X Background: Pregnancy stimulates partners to search for ways to preserve their mutual emotionalrelations and satisfy their sexual needs, with some limitations. This study evaluates thefrequency and perception of sexual intercourse during pregnancy in a group of Iranian couples.Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 155 pregnant women were recruitedfrom two academic clinics in Tehran. The exclusion criteria were: any underlying disease,history of pelvic surgery or gynecologic and obstetric complications, abortion or sterility, andprevious preterm labor. A checklist was administrated in the labor room, that included: demographicdata, partus and their viewpoints about sexuality. Frequency of sexual activity in eachtrimester, vaginal intercourse, coitus position, orgasm, breast stimulation, condom usage, andpregnancy outcome were recorded. Data were analyzed with t- and chi-square tests.Results: Women and their husbands with sexual behaviors during pregnancy had a lowermean age; the majority were nulipara (p<0.05). The biggest reason for decreased intercoursein the first trimester was fear of abortion (39.45%). No significant relationshipbetween sexual activity in pregnancy and preterm labor, gestational age, membrane rupture,and fetal outcome was shown. There was a significant negative relationship betweenintercourse in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters and need to induction.Conclusion: Although our results showed that sexual intercourse had no adverse effecton the fetus and was a proper stimulus for the induction of delivery, its frequency wasreduced during the gestational stage due to parents¡¯ fear of adverse effects.
%K Sexual Intercourse
%K Pregnancy Outcome
%K Adverse Effect
%U http://ijfs.ir/library/upload/article/af_33253322227474422546236263523546224544376-Torkestani.pdf