Factors associated with the resumption of sexual intercourse before the scheduled six-week postpartum visit

Abstract

This retrospective cohort study was aimed at evaluating the factors associated with the resumption of sexual intercourse (SI) before the six-week postpartum visit and was carried out between 1 January and 15 February 2014. The main variables studied included maternal age, number of living children, mode of delivery, complications observed at delivery and resumption or not of SI. Data from women who resumed SI were compared to those of women who did not. Fisher’s exact test and t-test were used for comparison. We recruited 120 women, among whom 95 (79.1%) resumed SI. Of these, 65/95 (68.4%) did not attend the postpartum visit while 30 (31.6%) did ( P = 0.321). The factors associated with early resumption of SI were maternal age of 20–34 years ( P < 0.001), women with one child ( P < 0.004) and who had had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery ( P < 0.001). Our conclusion is that nursing mothers should receive postpartum contraception before leaving the hospital.