An interventional study of sexuality health education group in Sexuality, Depression and Pregnancy Related, sponsored by Ordu University. Recruiting at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to female participants aged 18 Years to 45 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-04-08.
Sponsored by Ordu University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
This experimental, randomized controlled, single-blind study includes intervention and control groups. Pregnant women between 16 and 20 weeks of gestation who meet the inclusion criteria and agree to participate will be included in the study. Pregnant women will be randomly assigned to groups. Pre-test data will be collected from both groups. The intervention group will receive sexual counseling training in two sessions, face-to-face and in groups, until week 22. Second test data will be collected after week 37 (before delivery), and final test data will be collected three months after delivery. This study is expected to have a significant impact on women's lives, as this topic is considered taboo in our country, leading to a lack of open discussion and the prevalence of misconceptions and false beliefs (sexual myths).
While it varies from woman to woman, there is generally a decrease in the frequency of sexual intercourse in the first trimester due to decreased libido, and avoidance of sexual intercourse is quite common in the first three months due to the belief that it is associated with a risk of miscarriage. The belief that partners may harm the fetus during sexual intercourse is another important factor that negatively affects men's sexual desire and arousal and reduces the quality of sexual intercourse. Conversely, the results of some studies suggest that sexual intercourse is most comfortable in the first trimester. In their study with pregnant women, Khalesi et al. (2018) reported that pregnant women's interest in sexuality decreased in the first trimester, increased in the second trimester, and decreased again in the third trimester. In the same study, it was found that the frequency of sexual activity reached lower levels in the early stages of pregnancy and in the third trimester, and it was reported that 90% of pregnant women did not have sexual intercourse in the last four weeks of pregnancy. During pregnancy, a decrease in sexual intercourse and a lack of interest in sexuality are the most common occurrences. Studies have shown that the decrease in the frequency of sexual intercourse and sexual desire during pregnancy varies between 40% and 100%.
Pregnant women whose sexual life quality is negatively affected also experience negative impacts on their marital harmony. Maintaining a healthy and happy sexual life is crucial for the continuation of a marriage. Deterioration in sexual life and marital harmony during pregnancy continues to cause problems between couples in the postpartum period. With childbirth, estrogen decreases, while oxytocin and prolactin hormones increase. The effect of increased prolactin on the decrease in androgen hormones leads to decreased sexual desire and arousal. In the postpartum period, decreased estrogen causes problems such as decreased vaginal lubrication, dryness, and decreased vaginal congestion, leading to dyspareunia and decreased/avoidant sexual desire; decreased sexual desire is the most common problem in the postpartum period. In our culture, during the period called postpartum, women try to adapt to their new lives, and avoiding sexual intercourse is common due to the risk of postpartum bleeding and infection related to episiotomy. Additionally, mothers face many challenges during the postpartum period, trying to adjust to their new lives. Fatigue, insomnia, and difficulties with breastfeeding increase susceptibility to symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and stress. These mental health issues can lead to communication problems, withdrawal, and estrangement from their spouses. These problems negatively impact the marital harmony of the couple. Mental health issues can also lead to decreased sexual activity, and antidepressant medications used during treatment can cause orgasm problems. Sexual myths are also one of the reasons why sexual life is negatively affected during pregnancy . Misinformation believed to be true causes pregnant women to distance themselves from sexuality. Breastfeeding also has an impact on sexual life during the postpartum period. Problems such as milk leakage from the breasts during intercourse, the mother feeling unattractive, breast tenderness due to enlargement, and cracked nipples also negatively affect sexual intercourse . One study reported that breastfeeding women experienced more dyspareunia than non-breastfeeding women, and that non-breastfeeding women had greater sexual satisfaction . Various studies on the time required for sexual life to return to normal in the postpartum period are available in the literature. One study found that breastfeeding women experienced more sexual dysfunction in the first 4 months after childbirth .
Sexual counseling education plays a crucial role in resolving issues related to sexual life that arise during pregnancy and the postpartum period. In our country, routine sexual counseling education during pregnancy and the postpartum period is insufficient. Since sexuality is often overlooked in our country, it is essential to provide couples with sexual counseling education starting from pregnancy and to continue monitoring them in the postpartum period, including an assessment of their sexual life quality.
Several models have been developed for providing sexual counseling education.
130 studies on the registry are indexed under Sexuality; 26 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 70 is close to the median of 75 across 79 interventional studies indexed under Sexuality.
Browse Sexuality studies →Ordu University is the lead sponsor of 32 studies on the registry; 12 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Eligibility criteria;
Exclusion Criteria:
sexual health education groups
Other: sexuality health education group
routine care
This study will provide sexual counseling to pregnant women. Results will be collected both before delivery and at 3 months postpartum. The difference is that it covers both the pregnancy and postpartum periods.
Female Sexual Function Scale
The scale consists of 6 sub-dimensions and 19 items: Desire, Arousal, Lubrication, Orgasm, Satisfaction, and Pain. The scale evaluates sexual function status based on problems experienced over the past four weeks. Questions 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11,12, 13, 14, 17, 18, and 19 use a six-point Likert scale (0-5 points).The cutoff score for the scale is 26.55; a score ≤26.55 is considered to indicate a negative change in sexual function.A higher score indicates good sexual function.
Time frame: 20.pregnancy week until postpartum third month
Depression Anxiety Stress-21 Scale
In the scoring of the scale a score range of (0-4) indicates normal level of depression, a score range of (0-3) indicates normal level of anxiety, and a score range of (0-7) indicates normal level of stress. depression min 0-max 14, anxiety min 0- max 10, stres min 0- max 17. A higher score indicates increased levels of depression, anxiety, and stress.
Time frame: 22. pregnancy week until postpartum third month
Sexual Life Quality Scale - Women
Each item on the scale is scored between 1 and 6. The scale items are scored as follows: "Strongly agree"=1, "Largely agree"=2, "Partially agree"=3, "Partially disagree"=4, "Largely disagree"=5, "Strongly disagree"=6. The possible score range from 18 to 108. Min 18-max 108 score.A higher score indicates good sexual function.
Time frame: 22.pregnancy week - postpartum third month
Marital Adjustment Scale
The Marital Adjustment Scale consists of 15 items and three sections. Items in the scale receive a score between 0 and 6 depending on the number of options chosen. A higher score indicates good marital harmony.
Time frame: 22. pregnancy week until postpartum third month
Plan to share: No
Started Mar 2026 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Nov 2026, 8 months after the start.
Of 54 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Sexuality, half reached primary completion within 12 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 6 and three quarters within 32. This study's planned 8 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 54 studies reached it within 12 months; a quarter within 6 and three quarters within 32.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
Eligibility is decided by the study team. Share this record with your doctor or contact the team directly.
Contact study teamGet an email when the registry record changes — status, dates, results — or when someone posts here.
Sign in to followQuestions and observations about this study, from anyone following it. Not medical advice, and not a channel to the study team — their contact details are on the registry record.
Sign in to join the discussion. Reading takes no account; posting does. You choose a display name, and a pseudonym is the default.
Nothing here yet. If you are running this trial, taking part in it, or weighing whether to, this is the place to say so.
Ordu University