TY - CONF
T1 - Mode of delivery and maternal sexual wellbeing
T2 - Society for Epidemiologic Research (SER) Annual Meeting 2022
AU - Martin, Flo
AU - Madley-Dowd, Paul C
AU - Ahlqvist, Viktor
AU - Jónsson Bachmann, Egill
AU - Fraser, Abigail
AU - Forbes, Harriet J
PY - 2022/6/17
Y1 - 2022/6/17
N2 - Background The rate of cesarean section is increasing globally. Qualitative evidence suggests that cesarean section is perceived to be protective of sexual function, however, this is evidenced by a few short-term, and almost no long-term, quantitative studies. Emerging evidence suggests that cesarean section may be associated with sex-related pain postpartum, but further longitudinal studies are needed. We investigated the relationship between mode of delivery and subsequent maternal sexual enjoyment, sexual frequency, and sex-related pain.Methods Using the UK-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents And Children (ALSPAC) cohort, eligible women had data available for mode of delivery (from obstetric records) and at least one self- reported sexual outcome (via questionnaire). Sexual enjoyment and frequency were measured repeatedly between 33 months and 18 years postpartum; sex-related pain, both in the vagina during sex and elsewhere after sex, was measured at 11 years postpartum. Missing covariate and outcome data were imputed and associations between mode of delivery and sexual outcomes were investigated using ordinal logistic regression.Results In our sample of 10,327 women, 1,094 (11%) participants gave birth via cesarean section. Mode of delivery (cesarean section vs vaginal delivery) was not strongly associated with sexual enjoyment at any timepoint (e.g., adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.98–1.28, P-value=0.10 at 33 months) or sexual frequency (aOR 0.99, 95% CI 0.88–1.11, P=0.84 at 33 months). Cesarean section was, however, associated with an increased odds of both types of sex- related pain at 11 years postpartum as compared with vaginal delivery in the adjusted models (aOR 1.68, 95% CI 1.42–2.01, PConclusions Cesarean section was not associated with improved sexual enjoyment and frequency up to 18 years postpartum (compared to vaginal delivery), however, it was associated with increased sex-related pain at 11 years postpartum as compared with vaginal delivery. These findings contradict perceptions of sexual wellbeing in the mode of delivery debate, suggesting that women who have delivered via cesarean section can suffer from sex-related pain that is not limited to abdominal scarring.
AB - Background The rate of cesarean section is increasing globally. Qualitative evidence suggests that cesarean section is perceived to be protective of sexual function, however, this is evidenced by a few short-term, and almost no long-term, quantitative studies. Emerging evidence suggests that cesarean section may be associated with sex-related pain postpartum, but further longitudinal studies are needed. We investigated the relationship between mode of delivery and subsequent maternal sexual enjoyment, sexual frequency, and sex-related pain.Methods Using the UK-based Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents And Children (ALSPAC) cohort, eligible women had data available for mode of delivery (from obstetric records) and at least one self- reported sexual outcome (via questionnaire). Sexual enjoyment and frequency were measured repeatedly between 33 months and 18 years postpartum; sex-related pain, both in the vagina during sex and elsewhere after sex, was measured at 11 years postpartum. Missing covariate and outcome data were imputed and associations between mode of delivery and sexual outcomes were investigated using ordinal logistic regression.Results In our sample of 10,327 women, 1,094 (11%) participants gave birth via cesarean section. Mode of delivery (cesarean section vs vaginal delivery) was not strongly associated with sexual enjoyment at any timepoint (e.g., adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.98–1.28, P-value=0.10 at 33 months) or sexual frequency (aOR 0.99, 95% CI 0.88–1.11, P=0.84 at 33 months). Cesarean section was, however, associated with an increased odds of both types of sex- related pain at 11 years postpartum as compared with vaginal delivery in the adjusted models (aOR 1.68, 95% CI 1.42–2.01, PConclusions Cesarean section was not associated with improved sexual enjoyment and frequency up to 18 years postpartum (compared to vaginal delivery), however, it was associated with increased sex-related pain at 11 years postpartum as compared with vaginal delivery. These findings contradict perceptions of sexual wellbeing in the mode of delivery debate, suggesting that women who have delivered via cesarean section can suffer from sex-related pain that is not limited to abdominal scarring.
M3 - Conference Abstract
SP - 572
EP - 572
Y2 - 14 June 2022 through 17 June 2022
ER -