What happens to female sexual function during pregnancy?

Female sexual function remains an under-investigated and neglected topic in medical research. Studies have found a strong association between female sexual dysfunction (FSD) and decreased physical, emotional and overall life satisfaction [1]. Although FSD and the impact it has on quality of life is becoming increasingly recognised, the effect of pregnancy on FSD is relatively under-researched. Based on a significance level of 5% and a study power of 80 % a power calculation was performed using an assumed 20 % loss to follow up rate. 85 primiparous women with singleton pregnancies were recruited at their dating scan and asked to complete the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire in each trimester. The total score and the six domains (pain, satisfaction, orgasm, desire, lubrication and desire) were compared with Friedman’s ANOVA. The validated cut-off score of 26.55 was used to diagnose FSD. There was an overall decrease in total FSFI scores across the three trimesters, from a median full-scale score of 27.5 in the first trimester, to 24.7 in the second and 21.4 in the third trimester. There was a very significant decrease in all scores (the full scale score and the six domains- desire, lubrication, arousal, orgasm, satisfaction and pain), from the first trimester to the third trimester with each outcome (p