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Relationship between sexual satisfaction and religious attitudes in pregnant Muslim women: A cross-sectional study in Türkiye

Özlem Koç(1), Tuğçe Sönmez(2), Tural Ismayilov(3),


(1) Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tarsus University, Mersin
(2) Midwifery, Faculty of Health Sciences, Tarsus University, Mersin
(3) Clinic of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Bingöl State Hospital, Bingöl, Türkiye
Corresponding Author

Abstract


During pregnancy, various factors influence sexual life, and religious attitudes play a significant role. However, studies on sexual satisfaction and religious attitudes in pregnant Muslim women are limited. This cross-sectional study, conducted in Türkiye’s Mediterranean region with 230 pregnant volunteers (October 2023–March 2024), found that sexual satisfaction is significantly associated with educational status, frequency of intercourse, perceptions of safety, and feelings of shame or guilt. Despite no restrictions on sexual activity in healthy pregnancies, religious beliefs can negatively impact sexual life. The study highlights the lack of discussion on female sexuality during pregnancy in clinical settings and emphasizes the need for integrating this topic into pregnancy education. While contributing to the limited literature, findings are specific to one region and based on self-reported data, which may introduce bias

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