Factors Influencing Sexual and Marital Satisfaction of Primiparous Couples (Postpartum, Transition, Parenthood).

While quality of the marital relationship has been linked to successful adaptation to parenthood, the investigation of how the birth of a child influences specific aspects of the relationship has been limited. As the spouse provides key social support during the transition to parenthood, diminished marital satisfaction could interfere with achievement of healthy postpartum adaptation. Thus, an underst and ing of the postpartum marital relationship is fundamental to nursing management of the emerging family. This study explored factors that might influence postpartum marital satisfaction. A secondary analysis was performed using repeated and single measures from a larger prospective study. Data collection points were the third trimester, five months postpartum, and eight months postpartum with 40 subjects of each gender participating across the entire span of the study. Independent variables included gender, socioeconomic status, perceived companionship, and sexual satisfaction. Particular emphasis was placed on postpartum sexuality as this area has not been well studied. Measures included the Spanier Dyadic Adjustment Scale, the Roach, Frazier, and Bowden Marital Satisfaction Scale, and the Postpartum Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire developed by the investigator. At five months postpartum the sexual relationship of subjects had not returned to what had been normal before pregnancy. Women reported levels of desire that were lower than pre-pregnant levels, while men reported levels that were the same or higher. Approximately 4/5 of the couples surveyed reported decreased frequency of intercourse. Approximately 44% indicated that they received less information about postpartum sexuality than they felt they needed. Companionship was positively related to postpartum marital satisfaction for both genders. The amount of variance in marital satisfaction accounted for by sexual satisfaction demonstrated clear gender differences with significant proportions of men's (R('2) = .22, F = 12, p < .001; R('2) = .20, F = 9.3, p < .005), but not women's (R('2) = .001, F = .06, NS; R('2) = .01, F = .49, NS) marital satisfaction at five and eight months postpartum accounted for by sexual satisfaction. The gender differences identified could be the source of conflict in the marital relationship. Further exploration of how gender differences might affect the dynamics of the postpartum marital relationship is warranted.PhDSocial psychologyUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/160715/1/8520970.pd