La salute sessuale dopo il parto: studio osservazionale su 200 donne dalla prima alla ventesima settimana post-parto

Aim: The aim of the project is the analysis women’s sexual quality. The investigation refers to women between 1st and 20th week after delivery, comparing their sexual health to time since childbirth and the type of delivery, degree of perineal laceration, the weight of the newborn, the way of feeding and the number of deliveries. In addition, the study detects the level of involvement of healthcare professionals in postpartum visits, regarding women's sexual health. Material and Methods: The personal data and relating to childbirth, breastfeeding and the interest of healthcare professionals regarding post-natal sexual health, were obtained through direct personal questions to women. Women were asked to fill in a validated questionnaire “Female Sexual Function Index” (FSFI): it has 19 questions, is recognized internationally and it has the objective to assess the six domains of female sexual function: sexual desire or interest, subjective excitement during sexual activity, vaginal lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction related both to sexual activity and to relationships and pain during sexual intercourse. Results: The 200 recruited women were divided into 5 groups, based on the time from the day of delivery (at the time the questionnaire was submitted): from 1 to 4 weeks after childbirth, from 5 to 8 weeks, from 9 to 12, from 13 to 16 and from 17 to 20. Related to women between the 5th and 12th week after childbirth, appears a negative relation between domains regarding sexual desire, orgasm and pain in sexual relationships and operative vaginal delivery, compared to different birth patterns; a difference that gradually decreased, till becoming statistically irrelevant at 20th week from childbirth. The general trend is followed by a comparison of perceived sexual health and spontaneous III / IV grade lacerations with a lower score on sexual desire, orgasm and pain in sexual relationships than women with perineum intact or low grade / episiotomy lacerations between 9 and 16 week after childbirth; a difference that goes to vanish during the assessment of the last group of women. Moreover, women between the 9th and 16th week after childbirth, who have undergone an episiotomy, claim to feel more pain during sexual intercourse than those who have had a spontaneous I / II grade laceration; also in this case, it seems that the problem is "temporary". However, no relations are observed between sexual health after childbirth and the way of feeding chosen for the newborn, the weight of the infant at birth and number of deliveries. Finally, these are data collected regarding the degree of involvement of healthcare professionals about post-partum sexual health: from the 1st to the 12th week after birth, 75% of women claim that no operator has dealt with the topic in visits after birth; the same thing is said by 62% of women from 13th to 16th week after childbirth and from 55 % of women between 17 and 20; while 4% of the entire target declares having received information about it only after a specific question has been asked to the healthcare professionals. Conclusion: Overall, the results show that sexual health after childbirth is not affected by any of the variables considered during the assessments. Finally, the outcome regarding the degree of involvement of health care professionals about sexual health after delivery, emphasizes the importance of improving support by implementing counseling with couples, even during pregnancy.