Introduction: Pain during vaginal intercourse in pregnancy has largely been ignored despite physiological and psychological components of pregnancy that may be associated with its onset and persistence.
Aim: The current study aimed to determine the prevalence and the characteristics of clinically significant pain during intercourse in the second (18-24 weeks) and third (32-36 weeks) trimesters of pregnancy.
Methods: Pregnant women (N = 501) recruited from a local women's hospital completed an online survey in the second and third trimesters of their pregnancy regarding the presence, intensity, and characteristics of pain during intercourse. Women with clinically significant pain (ie, pain greater than or equal to 4 of 10 on a numerical rating scale) were grouped according to whether the pain was resolved, persistent, or new onset across the 2 pregnancy time points. Following guidelines outlined by the Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials (IMMPACT), we conducted a descriptive analysis assessing the intensity and characteristics (eg, quality, onset, degree of improvement over time, and treatment strategies utilized) of clinically significant pain during intercourse.
Main Outcome Measure: The main outcome measures in this study were the prevalence, intensity, and characteristics of clinically significant pain during intercourse.
Results: Overall, 21% of pregnant women (106/501) reported clinically significant pain during intercourse. We found that 22% (N = 16/106) of women who had this pain at 20 weeks reported that it had resolved at 34 weeks, 33% (40/106) reported persistent pain at both time points, and 46% (50/106) reported new onset of pain during intercourse at 34 weeks. The majority of women across all pain groups reported that the pain began during pregnancy and remained at the same intensity. Most women reported not using any pain management strategies to cope with their pain.
Clinical Implications: One in 5 women experienced clinically significant pain during intercourse in pregnancy, with the majority of women not seeking treatment.
Strengths & Limitations: This study is the first to comprehensively assess and describe the prevalence and characteristics of clinically significant pain during intercourse across 2 time points in pregnancy using IMMPACT guidelines. Small sample sizes in our pain groups may limit the generalizability of pain characteristics.
Conclusion: Findings suggest that many pregnant women in this study experienced significant pain during intercourse in pregnancy. Understanding the characteristics of this pain may improve its identification by health care providers and inform better prevention and treatment recommendations. Rossi MA, Mooney KM, Binik YM, et al. A Descriptive and Longitudinal Analysis of Pain During Intercourse in Pregnancy. J Sex Med 2019;16:1966-1977.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2019.09.011 | DOI Listing |
Front Reprod Health
January 2025
Department of Nursing, Mettu University, Mettu, Ethiopia.
Background: Primary dysmenorrhea is a common gynecological problem characterized by recurrent, periodical, and that occurs before or during menstruation, usually without pelvic disease. Its magnitude has not been well studied; some of the associated factors are inconclusive. Therefore, the goal of this study was to fill gaps on the magnitude, and associated factors of primary dysmenorrhea among female high school students in Nekemte town.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Menopausal Med
December 2024
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sandro Pertini Hospital, Roma, Italy.
Objectives: To compare the efficacy and safety of three different treatment options (vaginal estriol, vaginal dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and ospemifene) for treating genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) in breast cancer and gynecologic cancer survivors.
Methods: A retrospective comparative analysis was performed among 185 cancer survivors (including breast, endometrial, ovarian, cervical, and vulvar cancer) affected by GSM. Women were divided into three groups according to the prescribed therapy (vaginal estriol, vaginal DHEA, and ospemifene).
Arthroscopy
January 2025
Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, 06519. Electronic address:
Purpose: To provide an aggregate review of literature on 1) outcomes related to the quality of intercourse (frequency, postoperative pain during intercourse, postoperative sexual dysfunction) after hip arthroscopy and 2) patient-reported outcomes regarding postoperative sexual function after hip arthroscopy.
Methods: This systematic review followed The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed, Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials (CENTRAL), and Scopus were queried in March 2024.
HIV AIDS (Auckl)
January 2025
Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Padjadjaran - Dr. Hasan Sadikin Hospital, Bandung, West Java, Indonesia.
Sexual abuse is any non-consensual sexual act or behavior using force, with significant concern in "men who have sex with men" (MSM), and younger individuals. The incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STI) is also prevalent in the cases of sexual abuse in this population, showing the need for comprehensive medical and psychological intervention. This study presents a case of a 15-year-old Indonesian MSM adolescent who experienced three forced sexual intercourse with a mid-thirties male friend 6 months before the consultation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBJOG
January 2025
Department of Public Health, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
Objective: To build consensus on most important symptoms and related consequences for use in questionnaires to characterise individuals with suspected and confirmed endometriosis in the general population.
Design: A questionnaire of 107 symptoms and related consequences of endometriosis was collaboratively developed by patients, medical doctors and researchers and further assessed in a two-round e-Delphi study. Participants assessed the relevance of the symptoms, and a priori it was decided that 70% was the threshold for inclusion of a symptom.
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