Attitudes and beliefs regarding sexuality in pregnancy affect sexuality Turkey example: A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVEIt was aimed to examine the effects of attitudes and beliefs regarding sexuality on sexual function during pregnancy. STUDY DESINGDescriptive cross-sectional type research was conducted throughout Turkey between December 2021 and April 2022. The sample was made up of 718 pregnant women across Turkey. The data were obtained through "Data Collection Form", "Attitudes and Beliefs Scale about Sexuality during Pregnancy (ABSSP)" and "Female Sexual Function Scale (FSFI)" using online questionnaires using snowball sampling method. RESULTSThe mean age of the participants was 27.48 ± 4.26 and the gestational weeks were 26.65 ± 6.87. A negative relationship was found between the ABSSP total score average and age, marriage age, gestational week and living child. It was determined that the women's ABSSP total score average and all sub-dimensions were positively related to each other. It was determined that there was a positive relationship between the lower dimension of anxiety and sexual desire, arousal, satisfaction, orgasm and pain and negative. Gender/Attraction sub-dimension was found to be positively related to sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, satisfaction and FSFI total score average. Concern about pregnancy was found to be negatively related to sexual desire, arousal and satisfaction positive, orgasm and pain with lower size. CONCLUSIONThe study findings show that sexual beliefs and sexual desire situations during pregnancy are negatively affected. Sexuality can be negatively affected in societies where counseling on sexuality is inadequate during pregnancy and superstition and behaviors are common.