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Sexual activity and dyspareunia the first year postpartum in relation to degree of perineal trauma

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Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

Knowledge on sexual complaints and time to sexual resumption after obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI) is scarce. The aim of the study was to investigate self-reported sexual activity and coital problems 1 year postpartum in relation to perineal trauma, in addition to delivery mode.

Methods

Among 2,846 women recruited during pregnancy, all women who delivered with OASI (n = 42, all third-degree perineal tears), in addition to 20 randomly selected controls per OASI case, a total of 882 women, were sent a self-administered questionnaire addressing time to coital resumption after delivery and potential coital difficulty 1 year postpartum.

Results

By 8 weeks, half of the 561 responders (51.4 %) had resumed intercourse, increasing to 75.2 % by 12 weeks and 94.7 % 1 year postpartum. In multivariate regression analysis OASI was the strongest predictor for postponed coital onset, defined as after 8 weeks (aOR 5.52, CI 1.59–19.16). OASI was also the only significant predictor for dyspareunia 1 year after delivery (aOR 3.57, CI 1.39–9.19). Episiotomy was neither a risk factor for postponed coital onset nor for dyspareunia. There were no differences between episiotomy and second-degree laceration injury groups regarding postponed coital onset (p = 0.45) or dyspareunia (p = 0.67) 1 year postpartum.

Conclusions

Obstetric anal sphincter injury was a strong and independent predictor for both postponed coital resumption after delivery and for dyspareunia 1 year postpartum, whereas episiotomy and spontaneous second-degree lacerations were not. Our main finding of affected sexual activity after OASI further supports the need to reduce the rates of this obstetric injury to a minimum.

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Acknowledgments

All participating women are greatly acknowledged for their willingness and for taking the time to answer the questionnaire.

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Correspondence to Kathrine Fodstad.

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Funding

The University of Oslo provided funding for a PhD student grant (KF).

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Fodstad, K., Staff, A.C. & Laine, K. Sexual activity and dyspareunia the first year postpartum in relation to degree of perineal trauma. Int Urogynecol J 27, 1513–1523 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-016-3015-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-016-3015-7

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