The effect of sexual health counseling on women’s sexual satisfaction in postpartum period: A randomized clinical trial

Background: Many couples experience decreasing sexual satisfaction in postpartumperiod. Various sexual health counseling approaches have been designed forpostpartum women to address their common sexual concerns and problems.Objective: This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of Women’s PostpartumSexual Health Program (WPSHP) on women’s sexual satisfaction in postpartum period.Materials and Methods: The study was a single blind randomized clinical trial on75 postpartum women aged 18–35 yr with low sexual satisfaction who attendedurban health-care centres in Mashhad, Iran in 2016. Data were collected using ademographic questionnaire, the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-21, and the LarsonSexual Satisfaction Questionnaire. The intervention group received counselling basedon the WPSHP, a four-session, group- and couples-based program. The control groupjust received postpartum routine care.Results: Both the intervention and control groups were homogeneous for demographicvariables. According to the Mann-Whitney test, sexual satisfaction score in theintervention group was significantly higher than the control group 8 weeks afterthe intervention (p < 0.001). According to the Wilcoxon test, there was a significantdifference in the mean score of sexual satisfaction before and after intervention in theintervention group (p < 0.001).Conclusion: WPSHP caused higher levels of sexual satisfaction. It is thereforerecommended to use this program in women during the postpartum period to promotetheir sexual satisfaction.

کلیدواژه ها:

Sexual satisfaction ، Sexual counseling ، Sexual health ، Postpartum