Various Sexual Consequences of Interventions in Midwifery Practice

Many different elements influence sexuality and intimacy. Whereas some elements are entirely outside obstetric care, others are directly related to what happens in contact with the midwife. This chapter deals with the consequences (the ‘sexual side effects’) of what the midwife is doing or not doing. It focuses more on behaviour and attitude than on the ‘medical or technical’ aspects. The chapter will discuss possible sexual implications of the midwife’s daily work, incorporating the sexuality theme with attention to body integrity, boundaries, and respect. The chapter will provide part of the information in the form of questions for exercises related to the professional attitude in daily midwife practice. It will also include some aspects of personal involvement in the care of the woman and the couple. A midwife is also a person with sexual feelings, most probably with a sexual life and maybe a sexual relationship. Many HCPs tend not to consider those realities related to their work. However, they can significantly impact when the positive and negative aspects of their clients’ intimacy and sexuality intensely or repeatedly confront the midwife. This chapter is part of ‘Midwifery and Sexuality’, a Springer Nature open-access textbook for midwives and related healthcare professionals.</p

Midwifery and Sexuality

This first open-access book on midwifery and sexuality integrates sexual health into the care for the pregnant and postpartum couple. It addresses sexuality and intimacy from an education and prevention perspective instead of just focusing on treating problems, aiming to foster the development of sexual well-being and happy couplehood. Sexuality and intimacy are essential elements in the bonding of the couple and the parents-to-be. That process can be seriously hampered by sexual problems due to mutual misunderstanding, fear and sexual troubles (especially when the natural processes of conceiving, pregnancy and delivery are disturbed). In this phase of life, disruption of intimacy, sexuality and sexual relationship is a significant risk factor for developing couple and family problems. The need for such a book stems from the very limited attention given to this health area in the daily practice of most midwives and related healthcare professionals. In building a close relationship with the couple through frequent, intense, longstanding contact, the midwife acquires a perfect position to address sexuality and intimacy. With 36 authors from 14 countries, the book comprises five modules: 1. Sexuality; 2. Sexual aspects of the various phases of reproduction when things develop without complications; 3. Sexual aspects when those same phases deviate from physiology; 4. Special topics on sexuality relevant to daily midwifery practice; 5. Teaching, learning, skills and competencies with regard to sexuality. This new practical textbook guides healthcare professionals such as midwives, obstetricians, gynaecologists, nurses, general practitioners, pelvic floor therapists, etc., by offering both basic knowledge and skills on sexual health and wellbeing, combined with modern sexological knowledge, like the entirely new topic of sexual aspects of preconception care.</p

Perceptions of women on sexuality, intimacy, andhealth-related quality of life during the COVID-19 epidemic

Introduction: The COVID-19 epidemic and its restrictions have affected all aspects of people’s lives, including health-related quality of life and, considering sexuality as an integral part of individual needs, also intimacy and sexuality. Therefore, the aim of this article was to investigate women’s sexual functioning and health-related quality of life assessment in Slovenian women in the reproductive period. Methods: An online survey with valid questionnaires (short form 36 [SF-36] and Female sexual function index [FSFI-19]) was conducted in January 2022. All research ethical measures were taken to ensure the integrity of the participants. Results: The FSFI scale score was 25.37 ± 8.29, 1.18 points above the cutoff point, indicating a higher risk of sexual dysfunction (26.55). The estimated prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 36.8%, with sexual desire being the most problematic area. The mean score on the SF-36 scale in our sample reached 73.52 ± 13.84 on a 100-point scale, with 0 representing the worst and 100 the best quality of life; fatigue (x̅ = 48.50) was the most problematic category. The results partly reflect the results of foreign studies, but we must be aware of cultural differences in the understanding of sexuality and keep in mind that some countries faced difficult circumstances during the COVID-19 pandemic and that social constraints were different in 2020 than in 2022. Conclusion: The epidemic affected the sexual function of women of reproductive age and their perception of (health-related) quality of life