By Malia Artibello
This blog is a summary of our published article:
Tavares, I. M., Rosen, N. O., Heiman, J. R., & Nobre, P. J. (2023). Biopsychosocial predictors of couples’ trajectories of sexual function and sexual distress across the transition to parenthood. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 52(4), 1493–1511. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-022-02480-8
The transition to parenthood (pregnancy to 12 months postpartum) is a period of immense change for couples and can bring challenges to their sexual well-being [1], but this may not happen in the same way for all couples. The goal of this study was to identify potential differences between couples and to recognize who may experience more challenges across the transition to parenthood.
What did we want to know?
We wanted to see how different aspects of first-time parents’ sexual well-being change across the transition to parenthood and discover biopsychosocial factors that may predict these changes.
What did we do?
We asked 257 first-time parent couples to complete self-report questionnaires about their own sexual distress and sexual function.
Measures were taken at four time points: 20 weeks pregnant (baseline), 32 weeks pregnant, 3 months postpartum and 6 months postpartum. At baseline and 3 months postpartum, participants reported on psychological factors such as energy levels, anxiety, depression, and stress, as well as social factors such as relationship quality. At 3 months postpartum, biological factors related to labor and delivery were examined (i.e., epidural, induction of labor, vaginal delivery, episiotomy, perineal tear, and breastfeeding).
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What did we find?
We identified two groups of couples based on their experienced change to sexual function: Discrepant Sexual Function–Mothers Clinically-Low (15% of couples), and High Sexual Function (85% of couples). We also identified three groups of couples based on their experienced change to sexual distress: Low Sexual Distress (77% of couples), Moderate Sexual Distress (12% of couples), and Discrepant Sexual Distress–Mothers Clinically-Elevated (11% of couples).
Many mothers showed a decline in sexual function from pregnancy to 6 months postpartum, while fathers’ sexual function did not change. While most couples reported relatively high levels of sexual function across the transition to parenthood, a small subset of couples experienced a discrepancy. In these cases, mothers’ functioning was lower than fathers.
Most mothers experienced low sexual distress overall, while a small subset of couples experienced a sexual distress discrepancy between partners, where mothers displayed clinically-elevated levels of sexual distress and fathers showed low sexual distress.
Biopsychosocial Factors
Biological Factors: Vaginal deliveries, perineal tearing, and breastfeeding were most common in couples in the Discrepant Sexual Function—Mothers Clinically-Low class.
Psychological Factors: Both couple members in the Discrepant Sexual Function—Mothers Clinically-Low class reported higher fatigue, while mothers showed higher stress, anxiety, and depression. During pregnancy, mothers in the Discrepant Sexual Function—Mothers Clinically-Low class reported fewer positive attitudes about sex.
Relational Factors: Couples in the Discrepant Sexual Function—Mothers Clinically-Low class reported lower relationship quality and lower perceived partner support.
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What does this mean?
Our findings suggest that most new parents maintain high sexual function and low sexual distress, with only a small subset of mothers experiencing low sexual function and high sexual distress. We also found that only mothers experienced declines in sexual function and increases in sexual distress from pregnancy to 6 months postpartum, while their partners were relatively stable in their sexual function and distress across this period of transition.
The results of this study enhanced our knowledge of the collection of couples whose sexual function and distress may change across pregnancy and the postpartum. Our findings may contribute to better evaluation and treatment during the transition to parenthood and may also be important to the improvement of psychoeducational programs that focus on sexual changes during this period.
References
[1] Fitzpatrick, E. T., Kolbuszewska, M. T., & Dawson, S. J. (2021). Perinatal sexual dysfunction: The importance of the interpersonal context. Current Sexual Health Reports, 13(3), 66–67. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11930-021-00314-7
