The Effect of Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercises on Sexual Quality of Life and Marital Satisfaction in Primiparous Women after Childbirth

Sexual problems experienced by primiparous woman may reduce their qua

lity of life. Reduction in pelvic floor muscle strength after childbirth is an important factor that has a negative impact on women''s sexual function in the postpartum period. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pelvic floor muscle exercises on sexual quality of life in primiparous women after childbirth.

This clinical trial was conducted in 2013 on 79 primiparous women who had vaginal delivery and referred to health centers of Mashhad، Iran، 8 weeks after childbirth to receive services (postpartum care، infant vaccination and family planning). Subjects were divided randomly into two groups of intervention and control (n=52 for each). The intervention group was performed pelvic floor muscles exercises for 8 weeks. Both groups were evaluated at weeks 4 and 8 after start of the study. Data were collected using questionnaires of sexual quality of life، Nathan H. Azrin marital satisfaction and Brink scale and demographic inventory. Data were analyzed by SPSS software version 16، descriptive statistics tests، repeated measures، Friedman، t-test، Wilcoxon and Mann-Whitney tests. P value less than 0. 1 was considered significant.

Significant difference was seen in sexual quality of life، 8 weeks after start of the study between intervention and control groups (p=0. 001). There were significant increases in pelvic floor muscles strength (p<0. 0001) and marital satisfaction (p<0. 0001) in the intervention group. There was a significant increase in sexual satisfactions، 8 weeks after start of the study in intervention group (p<0. 001).

Pelvic floor muscle exercises improve the sexual quality of life and marital satisfaction of women in postpartum period.