Resumption of Sexual Intercourse in the Postpartum Period: Women's Experiences

NCT07440082 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2025_RIPH_11_SF_N Painvin
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 80
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Sexual health, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), is a state of overall well-being related to sexuality. In the postpartum period, sexual health is often affected by hormonal, physical, and psychological changes. Up to 83% of women report sexual difficulties within the first three months after childbirth, and these issues may persist for up to a year. Dyspareunia is one of the most common symptoms, affecting approximately 35% of postpartum women. Other difficulties include vaginal dryness, fatigue, decreased libido, and fear of pain. Breastfeeding and perineal trauma are known to influence the resumption of sexual activity. Health professionals may lack training or confidence in addressing sexual health, often leaving women to cope with their difficulties alone, even though they express a need for information and support. In this context, it is essential to better understand the difficulties women face when resuming sexual activity after childbirth, in order to improve the detection and management of sexual health disorders.

Conditions

Sexual Intercourse

Keywords

sexual intercourse; postpartum; women

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Questionnaire on the resumption of sexual intercourse in the postpartum period

  Proportion of participants who resumed sexual intercourse within the 3 months following childbirth

  Day0

Interventions

data collection OTHER

data collection

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: female
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

women aged 18 and over, with a partner who gave birth more than 3 months and less than 6 months ago, regardless of the mode of delivery, whether or not they have resumed sexual intercourse since giving birth

You may qualify if:

• Women who gave birth between 3 and 6 months prior to participating in the study
• Whether or not they have resumed sexual intercourse.
• With a partner.
• Aged 18 years or older
• Agreeing to participate in the study.

You may not qualify if:

• Women who were pregnant at the time of the study
• Who had experienced perinatal bereavement
• Who were protected by law (guardianship, curatorship, judicial protection)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Université de Reims Champagne-Ardenne: lead

Study Sites (1)

Ufr Medecine Urca

Reims, 51100, France

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Coitus

Interventions

Data Collection

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Sexual Behavior; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Epidemiologic Methods; Investigative Techniques; Health Care Evaluation Mechanisms; Quality of Health Care; Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation; Public Health; Environment and Public Health

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: CASE ONLY
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 12, 2026
• First Posted: February 27, 2026
• Study Start: November 22, 2025
• Primary Completion: January 22, 2026
• Study Completion: January 22, 2026
• Last Updated: February 27, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Locations

FR (1)