A New Baby in the Bedroom: Frequency and Severity of Postpartum Sexual Concerns and Their Associations With Relationship Satisfaction in New Parent Couples

Abstract

IntroductionNew parents are faced with many novel stressors, including possible changes to their sexual relationships. Although postpartum sexual concerns appear to be pervasive in new parents, little is known about the severity of these concerns or how they relate to new mothers' and fathers' relationship satisfaction. AimTo describe the frequency and severity of postpartum sexual concerns and examine associations between frequency and severity of postpartum sexual concerns and relationship satisfaction in new-parent couples. MethodsParticipants were 239 new-parent couples of a healthy infant 3 to 12 months old. Both members of the parenting couple completed an online survey within 1 month of each other. Main Outcome MeasuresFrequency and severity of postpartum sexual concerns were assessed using a 20-item Likert-type questionnaire adapted from a previously validated measurement. Relationship satisfaction was assessed with the Couples Satisfaction Index. ResultsA wide range of postpartum sexuality concerns was highly prevalent and moderately distressing in new mothers and fathers alike. New fathers' greater severity of postpartum sexual concerns was associated with their own and new mothers' decreased relationship satisfaction, whereas new mothers' greater severity of postpartum sexual concerns was associated only with lower relationship satisfaction in new fathers. In addition, new mothers' greater frequency of postpartum sexual concerns was associated with their own and new fathers' lower relationship satisfaction, whereas new fathers' frequency of postpartum sexual concerns was unrelated to the couples' relationship satisfaction. ConclusionPostpartum sexual concerns are pervasive and moderately distressing in new parents. The increased frequency and severity of these concerns were associated with decreased relationship well-being in both members of the couple. New mothers might need more assistance adjusting to the number of sexual concerns that they are experiencing, whereas new fathers might need more help adjusting to distress related to sexual issues.