A new study, published in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, has found that most first-time mothers wait until six weeks after childbirth before having vaginal sex. Further, if you’ve had an operative vaginal birth, caesarean section, perineal tear or episiotomy, you’re more likely to wait even longer before getting back in the saddle, according to researchers at the Murdoch Children’s’ Research Institute, Australia.
Using data from the Maternal Health Study – a large prospective pregnancy cohort involving self-administered questionnaires in early pregnancy and at three, six and 12 months postpartum – the researchers investigated how long it took mothers to resume vaginal sex, and whether any obstetric wellness or social factors were associated with that decision. 41% of the 1507 first-time mothers sampled attempted vaginal sex by six weeks postpartum, 65% by eight weeks, and 78% by 12 weeks. At six months postpartum, this figure had reached 94%.
When it came to non-vaginal sex, the researchers found that sexual activity was higher by the six-week mark, at 53%. Also, 45% of women who had a caesarean section, 32% who had a forceps-assisted birth, 32% who had an episiotomy and 35% who had a sutured tear had resumed vaginal sex by six weeks, compared with 60% who had a spontaneous vaginal birth with intact perineum, possibly due to fears for their sexual health and wellbeing.
According to Associate Professor Stephanie Brown, lead author of the study, ‘The most important finding from the study is the wide time interval over which couples resume sex after childbirth. Most couples do not resume sex until after six to eight weeks postpartum, and many delay much longer than this. This is useful information for couples to know before their baby is born, and may help reduce feelings of anxiety and guilt about not resuming sexual activity sooner.’
Co-author of the research, Ellie McDonald, added, ‘The study findings provide evidence that both method of birth and degree of perineal trauma play a role in the resumption of sex after childbirth. It is possible that some couples delay resumption of sex until after the six-week check-up on the grounds of waiting to check that everything is back to normal. This may explain the relatively large number of women that resume vaginal sex at seven to eight weeks postpartum.’
John Thorp, BJOG Deputy-Editor-in-Chief, commented, ‘Having reliable information to guide clinical practice can dispel common myths about what is normal during the postnatal period as well as enabling clinicians to tailor information to a woman’s individual circumstances. This study provides important new evidence to guide information given to women and their partners about what to expect after childbirth. However, it is important to remember that these decisions are down to the individual couple and when it feels right for them.’
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