An analytical evaluation of dynamics determining sexual satisfaction during pregnancy

This study aimed to evaluate the sexual satisfaction levels of women during pregnancy and to identify the sociodemographic, obstetric, and psychosocial factors influencing these levels. This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted on 221 pregnant women who voluntarily participated and were followed up in a tertiary health care facility. Exclusion criteria were: diagnoses of obstetric complications such as threatened preterm labor, cervical insufficiency, pre-eclampsia, intrauterine growth retardation, premature rupture of membranes, gestational diabetes and fetal anomalies. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with eligible pregnant women attending the outpatient clinic. The Golombok Rust Sexual Satisfaction Inventory (GRISS) questionnaire was used. Statistical analyses were performed using multivariable linear regression analysis, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. Higher GRISS scores indicate greater sexual dysfunction. Sexual satisfaction scores differed significantly according to education level, pregnancy planning, mode of conception, frequency of sexual intercourse, and perceptions of safety during pregnancy (all p < 0.05). Women with unplanned pregnancies, those who conceived naturally, and those perceiving sexual intercourse as unsafe reported higher levels of sexual dysfunction according to GRISS. Healthcare providers should consider psychosocial and obstetric factors affecting sexual well-being during pregnancy and integrate sexual counseling into routine antenatal care.