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Summary
Title: Problems concerning sexuality and relationship after childbirth? – A project
regarding women’s experiences about sexuality and relationship after childbirth, and the
midwife’s articulation hereof.
Background: New research shows that women who have just given birth, experience
changes to their sexuality, libido and have issues with resuming intercourse (Olsson et al
2005). As result, bonding-difficulties between the parents and the child can occur, along
with poorer quality of life and work efforts (Trillingsgaard 2007:4). Because of the
midwifes consistent role throughout a woman’s pregnancy and maternity period, it
becomes relevant to look in to, whether or not addressing sexuality and relationship
struggles during the prenatal and antenatal midwife sessions, could have a preventive role
when it comes to sexuality and relationship struggles.
Objective: The aim was to acquire a greater understanding of women’s thoughts about
sexuality and relationship after childbirth, using Social Constructivism as a scientific
perspective, and furthermore to examine how midwives can use this greater
understanding to prevent problems regarding sexuality and relationship after childbirth.
Method: In order to reach the goal set in this project, a qualitative survey was created.
The analysis of the results from the survey happens from a hermeneutic and
phenomenological point of view. Additionally are the results from the survey
considered from a Social Construtivistic perspective. To put the analysis and discussion
into perspective, I include a qualitative study; Women’s thoughts about sexual life after
childbirth: focus group discussions with women after childbirth, by Olsson et al (2005),
wherein the main purpose is to find out which sexuality-related issues, women who just
gave birth, experience.
Conclusion: The results from the survey showed a clear resemblance with the results
from the Olsson et al (2005) study. Knowledge about the constructed society, created
through social networks like Facebook, gives the midwife an awareness of why many
women experience their sexuality and relationship as being more negative after
childbirth. Midwives are thus better prepared to prevent this.
Text identification: Beinta Gaard, University College Syddanmark, Esbjerg, 2014
Key words: Sexuality, childbirth, postpartum, women’s experiences, sexual problems