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Depression may affect sexual function during early and late pregnancy, say Taiwanese researchers.

Their study, published online in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, examined data from 555 pregnant women in Taiwan.

Using the Taiwanese version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), the researchers evaluated the women's depressive symptoms. Sexual function was assessed with the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI), focusing on desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain.

Overall, the researchers found that depressive symptom scores were “significant negative predictors of overall sexual function and of all FSFI domains.”

For women in early pregnancy, higher CES-D scores were associated with lower scores on the overall sexual function, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, and pain domains of the FSFI.

Women with higher CES-D scores during late pregnancy had lower FSFI scores in the sexual desire and satisfaction domains.

To learn more about this study and see more detailed results, please click here.

Many patients have questions about sex and pregnancy and we addressed some of them in our website's Q & A section this week:

How does pregnancy affect sex?

Will having sex during pregnancy hurt the fetus?

What sexual positions might be more comfortable for pregnant women?

Do you have a suggestion for a Q & A topic? Feel free to e-mail it to us at QandA@issm.info.