RESEARCH ARTICLE Prolonged sexual abstinen c

Full list of author information is available at the end of the articleBackground Sexuality as the social construct of a biological drive is closely related to gender, another social construct. Men and women are socialised to culturally- specific and socially acceptable ideals of masculinity and femininity [1], and the period after childbirth is no exception. Sexuality has long been a subject of secrecy and taboo in Africa [2]. However, the presence of HIV has precipitated the move towards more openness on how sexuality is con-ceptualised [3,4], and gendered norms on sexuality and decision-making have been dismantled [5-8]. Prolonged sexual abstinence after childbirth is a so-cio-cultural practice with health implications and is described in several African countries. The practice of postpartum abstinence is closely linked to child spacin