Taiwanese researchers have found that depressive symptom scores are “significant negative predictors” of sexual function during early and late pregnancy.
The study, published online in August in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, involved 555 pregnant Taiwanese women. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Taiwanese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). To assess sexual function, researchers used the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) and focused on desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain. Demographic data was also collected.
The researchers hypothesized that scores on the CES-D would predict the outcomes on the FSFI, after adjusting for demographic factors.
The researchers discovered the following:
• As hypothesized, depressive symptom scores were in fact “significant negative predictors of overall sexual function and of all FSFI domains.”
• Women with higher CES-D scores during early pregnancy had lower scores on the overall sexual function, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and pain domains of the FSFI.
• Women with higher CES-D scores during late pregnancy had lower FSFI scores in the sexual desire and satisfaction domains.
• Prevalence of depressive symptoms in the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy were 45%, 38%, and 43%, respectively. These rates are higher than those found in American studies that also used the CES-D (15-18%, 14%, and 21-33%, respectively, for the first, second, and third trimesters). The researchers suggested that this difference may be due to cultural influences.
• Gestational age negatively predicted overall sexual function, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and pain. This suggests that as a woman gets further along in her pregnancy, her sexual function declines (except for satisfaction and desire.)
The authors noted, “These results indicate that emotional closeness during sexual activity, a sexual relationship, and overall sexual life can be maintained, although the frequency of intercourse decreases as pregnancy progresses in Taiwanese women. Meanwhile, a woman’s sexual desire does not decrease with the reduction in intercourse across trimesters.”
• Sexual desire seemed to be greater in women who had a medical condition when compared to those who did not. Researchers were not sure why, however.
• Women who had had children before had greater overall sexual function, arousal, lubrication, and orgasm scores than women who had never had children.
These findings may help healthcare providers when working with pregnant women, the authors suggested.
Resources
HealthDay via Allnurses.com
“Depression Tied Negatively to Sexual Function in Pregnancy”
(August 24, 2012)
http://allnurses.com/clinical-news/depression-tied-negatively-777433.html
The Journal of Sexual Medicine
Chang, Shiow-Ru, PhD, et al.
“Depressive Symptoms as a Predictor of Sexual Function during Pregnancy”
(Full-text. First published online: August 15, 2012)
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2012.02874.x/abstract