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Publication
Sexual function in women after delivery: Does episiotomy matter?
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Objective: Despite the fact that a restrictive use
of episiotomy has proven to be beneficial, it
continues to be widely used in vaginal births.
Our aim was to compare women with episiotomy,
to women with an intact perineum, 3 months
after delivery, regarding several sexual variables,
namely: sexual desire, arousal, orgasm, pain,
sexual satisfaction and sexual function. Methods:
An exploratory, descriptive and quantitative study
using a non-probabilistic, convenience sample
of 147 Portuguese women, of which 54 belonged
to a control group, was performed. The groups
were not significantly different regarding sociodemographic
aspects. Three instruments were
used: the Female Sexual Function Index, a
Socio-demographic and Clinical Questionnaire
and the Female Sexual Function Questionnaire.
Results: Most women mentioned a moderate
level of sexual interest. Women with episiotomy
present higher pain intensity, less sexual
satisfaction, greater changes regarding the orgasm’s
duration and intensity, lower levels of
sexual arousal and total sexual function, than
women with intact perineum. Discussion: We
found no significant differences between women
with episiotomy and women with an intact perineum
in most variables. However, women with
episiotomy presented higher levels of pain and a
lower sexual satisfaction, being these significant
differences.
Description
Keywords
Episiotomy Episiorrhaphy Intact Perineum Sexual Function Post-Partum
Citation
Health, 6(5), 356-363 Doi: 10.4236/health.2014.65052
Publisher
SAGE Publications