Assessment of the Views of Undergraduate Students about Female Body and Sexual Life in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period

Abstract

Objective: In this study, we aimed to determine the views of undergraduate students about the female body and sexual life during pregnancy and the postpartum (PP) period. Materials and Methods: This descriptive study was conducted with 466 students from a public university in the spring semester of the academic year of 2015-2016. The data were collected using a questionnaire. Statistical analyzes included means, standard deviations, percentage distributions and chi-square test (X2). Results: Of the students who participated in the survey, 64.4% were female, 26.4% were senior students, and the mean age of the students was 21.62±2.47 years. The rates of female and male students who stated that pregnancy suits the female body were 56% and 36.1%, respectively. In contrast, the rates of female and male students who stated that the PP period does not suit the female body were 40.3% and 25.9%, respectively. We found similar ratios of female (50.7%) and male (57.9%) students regarding the opinion that pregnancy adversely affects sexual life, which was explained in turn by the following options: "Sexual intercourse during pregnancy may harm the baby", "Pregnancy may reduce the frequency of sexual intercourse", "I do not find it ethical to have sex during pregnancy", "Pregnancy may reduce the sense of pleasure experienced during sexual intercourse", and "I think that sexual intercourse during pregnancy is not religiously appropriate." The only positive option about sexual life in the PP period was "Incision/episiotomy in the birth canal makes sexual intercourse easier / reduces pain" with participation rates of 85.7% and 16.6% in female and male graduates, respectively. Additionally, vaginal birth, episiotomy and breastfeeding were listed as factors that adversely affect sexual life in the PP period. Conclusion: It was concluded that physical changes in the PP period caused aesthetic concerns for female students, while male students had a more negative attitude towards sexual life during pregnancy, and negative opinions about sexual life in the PP period were widespread among the undergraduate students.