Journal of Education and Health Promotion

The effectiveness of sexual health counseling based on cognitive‑behavioral therapy on sexual satisfaction and inefficient sexual beliefs of primigravida women

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

. Mahshid Bokaie 1
. Marzie Zarei Gashiri 2
. Azam Khoshbin 3
. Hajar Salimi 4

1 Associated Professor, PhD in Reproductive Health, Research Center for Nursing and Midwifery Care, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

2 MSc in Midwifery Counseling Student, Collage of Nursing and Midwifery, Midwifery Department, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

3 MSc in Midwifery, Research Center for Nursing and Midwifery Care, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran

4 Assistant Professor, Psychiatry, Behavioral Scinces Research Center, Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.

Abstract
BACKGROUND: Pregnancy may change sex life, this period may be associated with decreased sex, 
and this is due to fear of miscarriage, nausea and vomiting, fear of harm to the fetus, fatigue, and 
fear of ruptured membranes. Midwives could help them to improve their sexual life during this period. 
One of the important approaches to improving sexual life during pregnancy is cognitive‑behavioral 
therapy (CBT). This nonmedical approach could improve misconceptions about sex during pregnancy. 
The aim of this study was the effect of sexual health counseling based on CBT on sexual satisfaction 
and inefficient sexual beliefs of primigravida women.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a randomized clinical trial study, the research population 
being 52 pregnant women who were randomly divided into groups, the experimental (26) and the 
control (26). Before the sexual health counseling based on CBT, the Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire 
and the Inefficient Sexual Beliefs Questionnaire were filled by both the groups. These standard 
questionnaires were completed three times (before, immediately, and 4 weeks after intervention). 
After pretest, eight sexual health counseling sessions (90 min) were performed for the experimental 
group. The control group received routine care. Data analysis was performed by using descriptive 
statistics tests, ANOVA, and post hoc tests by Bonferroni method in SPSS version 22. P < 0.05 was 
considered statistically significant.
RESULTS: The mean score of inefficient sexual beliefs in the interventional group before intervention, 
immediately after the intervention, and 1 month later was obtained 22.85 ± 9.57, 12.92 ± 7.25, 
and 7.86 ± 13.88, respectively (P < 0.001). The mean score of sexual satisfaction before the 
study, immediately after the intervention, and 1 month later was 88.77 ± 11.89, 95.62 ± 9.27, and 
94.65 ± 8.28, respectively, in the experimental group (P < 0.001).
CONCLUSION: Sexual health counseling based on CBT could reduce inefficient sexual beliefs and 
increase the sexual satisfaction of the primigravida women during pregnancy, but most participants 
preferred fewer sessions.

Keywords

Behavioral‑cognitive approach
beliefs
pregnant women
sexual satisfaction
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Journal of Education and Health Promotion
Volume 12, Issue 2
Winter 2022
Pages 1-6

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