An Australian perspective of fatherhood and sexuality

Objective: to describe and explore the effect that pregnancy, childbirth and adjustment to a new baby have on thesexual relationship of fathers.Design: a content analysis, using a qualitative approach, was undertaken on the written comments provided by fathers ona 6-week postpartum postal survey. The survey was undertaken to provide information relating to fathers’ adaptation tofatherhood. The father’s functional status was measured using, the Inventory of Functional Status-fathers (IFS-F) Tool.Setting: a regional location within New South Wales, Australia. Participants (fathers) were recruited through postnatalservices within hospital and community settings.Participants: volunteer study participants consisting of 204 fathers were sent a questionnaire at 6 weeks postpartum.The questionnaire was returned by 128 study participants (fathers). The participants were men experiencingfatherhood for the first time or who were adding to their existing families.Findings: comments by the study participants revealed that sexual relationships during pregnancy and the postnatalperiod undergo a variety of changes that may affect the couple’s relationship.Key conclusions and implications for practice: it is important for health-care professionals, particularly midwives, torecognise that variance in sexual activity during the childbearing period does occur, and that there is a need for themidwife to be open to individual discussion of sexual activity with the woman and her partner during pregnancy andpostnatal periods. Holistic care of women and their partners in the childbearing period requires health professionals toeffectively communicate current information and education on sexuality.