Beliefs About Sexual Activity During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review of the Literature

The aim of this review is to present the beliefs related to sexual activity during pregnancy. We identified 13 studies (3,122 participants). The main positive beliefs about sex in pregnancy were that it makes labor easier, promotes marital harmony, prevents infidelity, and improves fetal well-being....

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of sex & marital therapy 2017-11, Vol.43 (8), p.822-832
Main Authors: Ribeiro, Meireluci Costa, de Tubino Scanavino, Marco, do Amaral, Maria Luiza Sant'Ana, de Moraes Horta, Ana Lúcia, Torloni, Maria Regina
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Choice Behavior
Coitus - physiology
Female
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
Humans
Infant, Newborn
Male
Maternal & child health
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications - psychology
Pregnancy Outcome - psychology
Pregnancy Trimesters - physiology
Sexual behavior
Sexual Behavior - physiology
Sexual Partners - psychology
Systematic review
Well being
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Summary:The aim of this review is to present the beliefs related to sexual activity during pregnancy. We identified 13 studies (3,122 participants). The main positive beliefs about sex in pregnancy were that it makes labor easier, promotes marital harmony, prevents infidelity, and improves fetal well-being. Negative beliefs were more frequent: that sex could harm the unborn child (cause injuries, miscarriage, or fetal infection) and endanger the pregnancy or maternal health (cause membrane rupture, bleeding, preterm labor, and maternal infection). These findings are useful to clinicians and educational program developers.
ISSN:0092-623X
1521-0715
DOI:10.1080/0092623X.2017.1305031