Pregnancy and delivery are one of the most significant periods of women's life that causes hormonal and bodily
alterations which could have major effects on sexual function and sexual quality of life. The aim of the study was to evaluate
the effect of mode of delivery on postpartum sexual function and sexual quality of life in primiparous women. A comparative
descriptive design was used. The study was conducted at the family planning outpatient clinic of Benha teaching hospital. A
purposive sample of 277 primiparous women were divided in two groups vaginal delivery (n= 140) and cesarean section
(n=137). Three tools were used for data collection; 1) Structured interviewing questionnaire to collect data about the women'
demographic characteristics, gynecologic and sexual history. 2) Female sexual function index was used to evaluate sexual
function of the studied women. 3) Sexual quality of life-female questionnaire. The study results showed that 65% of vaginal
delivery group and 57.7% of cesarean section group had poor sexual function level, 76.4% of vaginal delivery group and
75.9% of cesarean section group had average level of sexual quality of life after delivery, which revealed no statistically
significant differences (P > 0.05) between the two groups as regard to postpartum sexual function and sexual quality of life.
Moreover, there was a positive highly statistically significant correlation (P < 0.01) between the women' sexual function scores
and their sexual quality of life scores. The study concluded that there were no statistically significant differences between
vaginal delivery and cesarean section groups as regard to postpartum sexual function and sexual quality of life. The study
recommended that nurses should provide sexual education for women during postpartum period to enhance sexual functioning
and sexual quality of life |
