Prevalence of postpartum dyspareunia: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: Dyspareunia is one of the most common postpartum sexual dysfunctions.

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of postpartum dyspareunia.

Search strategy: Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Embase databases were searched to July 2019 using keywords including 'perineal pain,' 'dyspareunia,' and 'sexual pain'.

Selection criteria: Observational studies on the prevalence of postpartum dyspareunia were included.

Data collection and analysis: Two authors independently reviewed articles and extracted data. Study heterogeneity was evaluated by I² index; publication bias by Egger and Begg tests.

Main results: Twenty-two studies enrolling 11 457 women were included. Based on meta-analysis, the overall estimated prevalence of dyspareunia was 35% (95% confidence interval [CI], 29%-41%). The prevalence was 42% (95% CI, 26%-60%) at 2 months, 43% (95% CI, 36%-50%) at 2-6 months, and 22% (95% CI, 15%-29%) at 6-12 months postpartum. Begg test showed no significant bias in data related to the prevalence of postpartum dyspareunia (p = 0.466).

Conclusion: The prevalence of postpartum dyspareunia was 35% and decreased with increasing postpartum duration. Given the high prevalence and its impact on a woman's quality of life, special attention should be paid to this common complaint during the postpartum period.