Does Female Sexuality Decrease in Pregnancy?: A Cross-sectional Questionnaire- based Study

Background: Reproductive health is considered a cardinal component of an individual's overall health and well-being. Cultural beliefs, myths, and taboos about sexual practices during pregnancy depend on various factors, including education, occupation, religion, cultural practices, and even area of residence. Objectives: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the sexual patterns and beliefs regarding the sexuality of women during pregnancy and compare them with the pre-pregnancy period. Methods: A total of 190 pregnant women (> 18 years of age) in the third trimester of pregnancy, i.e., beyond 28 weeks of gestation, were interviewed using Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) scale to assess female sexual dysfunction during pregnancy and pre-pregnancy periods. If the score was less than 26.55, the woman was diagnosed as suffering from female sexual dysfunction. An effort was also made to find the causes of female sexual dysfunction in these women. Results: A total of 64 (35.56%) participants considered sexual activity unsafe during pregnancy. Moreover, 45.56% of the study subjects reported no change in libido. The mean +/- 2SD FSFI score in the pre-pregnancy period was 30.93 ± 1.18, whereas, in the pregnancy, the score was 22.64 ± 7.91, with a wide range of 6.4-28.5. A significant decline was noted in all domains of sexual function, including desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. Conclusion: Pregnancy is associated with a significant decline in all domains of female sexual function, including desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. The fallacious knowledge regarding the safety of sex in pregnancy is the most important contributing factor.