ORIGINAL RESEARCH—COUPLE’S SEXUAL DYSFUNCTIONS Sexual Activity during Pregnancy in Taiwan: A Qualitative Study

Background. Pregnancy is a special period in a woman’s life that involves physical and mental changes. These changes are influenced by cultural, social, religious, and emotional factors among others. Aim. The aims of this article were to gather information, to describe the changes and behavior of sexual experiences in pregnancy, and to identify the reasons why pregnant women from central Taiwan decrease coital frequency during pregnancy. Methods. This phenomenological qualitative research was intended to respond to open-ended questions that allowed the respondents to elaborate on the individuals ’ experiences. We collected data from in-depth, tape-recorded, and semi-structured interviews conducted in a cross-sectional study of 62 healthy pregnant women. The investigation ended when three consecutive interviewed subjects could not offer any new activities, which indicated that the study had reached its saturation point. Main Outcome Measures. We performed data collection and content analysis to ensure standards of rigor and reliability. Credibility was enhanced by prolonged engagement, triangulation, referential adequacy, member check-ing, and expert review; we categorized meaningful unit-codes in a mutually exclusive and exhaustive manner into perceptions, experiences, and practices such that common themes were grouped into categories. Results. Three themes emerged: negative aspects of sexual experiences; stress and emotional responses; and change