Postpartum Sexual Dysfunction

Postpartum women frequently experience impairments in sexual function, pelvic floor dysfunction, fatigue, and depressive symptoms, all of which may adversely affect their quality of life during the postpartum period. Although pelvic floor muscle training is recommended as part of postpartum rehabilitation, evidence regarding comprehensive physiotherapist-led exercise programmes specifically targeting postpartum sexual health remains limited. Furthermore, no standardized telerehabilitation programme has yet been evaluated using a randomized controlled trial design. The aim of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of the POSH-Ex (Postpartum Sexual Health Exercise) programme, a standardized 12-week physiotherapist-led telerehabilitation intervention designed to improve female sexual function and overall postpartum health after childbirth. Secondary objectives are to evaluate its effects on pelvic floor muscle strength, physical activity, fatigue, depressive symptoms, health-related quality of life, and body composition. A total of 84 postpartum women will be randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention group or the control group. Participants in the intervention group will complete supervised online exercise sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks, while participants in the control group will receive usual postpartum care. Outcome assessments will be performed at baseline and immediately after completion of the intervention. The primary outcome is female sexual function assessed using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Secondary outcomes include pelvic floor muscle strength, physical activity, fatigue, depressive symptoms, health-related quality of life, and body composition. The findings are expected to provide high-quality evidence regarding the effectiveness of a standardized telerehabilitation programme for postpartum rehabilitation and may contribute to the development of evidence-based postpartum rehabilitation programmes and future clinical practice guidelines.

Sexual dysfunction is very common in the postpartum period and is more common in people who breastfeed or pump. This research study was designed to help determine whether postpartum patients who use vaginal estrogen cream while breastfeeding have improved sexual function compared to postpartum patients who do not.

Sexual function in the postpartum period, the gateway to newness and change, can be affected by problems such as caring for a new baby, breastfeeding, fatigue, anxiety about pain during sexual intercourse, postpartum depression, pelvic floor dysfunction, urinary symptoms and body image. Changes in sexual function are common in the postpartum period. Pregnancy and childbirth is a period in a woman's life that causes hormonal and physical changes and has an impact on the parents' quality of life. Postpartum sexual function is an important issue for couples, as the first sexual intercourse after childbirth is an important step for couples to establish intimate relationships. Many factors affect postpartum sexual dysfunction, including number of births, breastfeeding, mode of delivery, episiotomy, physical and psychological dysfunction, including fatigue and postpartum depression. Without adequate information and counseling on sexual life by health professionals in the postpartum period, most women may remain silent about their sexual concerns and anxieties, preferring instead to share their problems with friends. More holistic and multidisciplinary approaches are needed to treat female sexual dysfunctions. The use of mindfulness-based therapies has recently become widespread in the treatment of women diagnosed with sexual dysfunction.Thanks to mindfulness practices, it has been observed that women perceive stimuli better and are able to notice clues that they did not notice before. The Compassion Focused Therapy program is one of these practices. It is known to integrate well with existing approaches to therapy and offers some useful ways of reducing sexual problems to provide a coherent rationale for treatment strategies.