Sex, Fertility, Pregnancy, and Parenthood with a Chronic Disease or Other Health Disturbance

Abstract

AbstractIn sexology and sexual medicine, it is common knowledge that nearly every chronic disease and cancer treatment may have extensive sexual consequences. This chapter will deal with relevant sexual aspects of the common chronic diseases that predated women’s pregnancies or that developed during pregnancy.The chapter will start with the complexities of childwish and fertility when there is a chronic disease, with the accompanying ambivalence, insecurities, and risks. It is followed by a general view of sexual consequences and implications of chronic disease. After that, the chapter will address the sexual aspects of ten rather common specific conditions relevant in midwifery practice: breast cancer, chronic bowel disease, cervical cancer, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, rheumatic diseases, asthma, HIV, congenital heart disease, and chronic kidney diseases.This chapter is part of ‘Midwifery and Sexuality’, a Springer Nature open-access textbook for midwives and related healthcare professionals.