Knowledge of women related to sexuality at postpartum period
Arzu Akpinar (TR), Hatice Yangin (TR)
[AKPINAR] Akdeniz University, [YANGIN] Akdeniz University
At the postpartum period, sexuality depends on many factors: maternal physical response, hormonal changes, lactation, culture and beliefs and knowledge. Lack of knowledge is associated to wrong attitudes and unnecessarily restriction of sexual intercourse at this period. The study was conducted in order to determine the knowledge about sexuality and affecting factors in postpartum women. This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study and study sample consisted of 400 women who gave birth Antalya, Turkey. The data collection was made with the form that generated by researchers using literature. The study analysed with SPSS package program. The average age of the women participated in the study were 27.66±5.68. 63.8% of women were primary/secondary school graduates, 79.5% weren't working and 65.8% of women were multiparas. The proportion of women receiving information about sexuality at postpartum period were 50.8%. 67% of women have right information about the reason for the restriction of sexual intercourse at postpartum period and the need of sexuality for women and 30.8% think that sexual intercourse should be resumed before 40 days. Despite the knowledge about postpartum sexual intercourse, 96.7% of women were planning to wait for sexual intercourse resumption for 40 days and over. 65% of women agree on the importance of breast in sexual life, but 54-64% have incorrect information about the relationship between breastfeeding and sexuality. Postpartum sexual knowledge is determined to be associated with education of women, age, longest lived settlements, duration of marriage, type of family and parity (p<0.05). As the result of the study, it was determined that women’s knowledge is insufficient and it is recommended to evaluating the knowledge of women about sexuality at postpartum period and giving information in accordance with the requirements.