Nigerian male sexual activity during pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of extra-marital sexual affairs as well as other aspects of male sexual behavior during pregnancy in Nigeria.


METHODS
A questionnaire survey of the husbands of consecutive women who delivered in three tertiary care centers in south-eastern Nigeria within an 8-week period. The data were analyzed by means of simple percentages and descriptive and inferential statistics, using t-tests, chi-square tests and regression equations at the 95% confidence level.


RESULTS
279 (88.3%) of the 316 eligible husbands responded to the questionnaire. A total of 78 (28.0%) of the respondents engaged in extra-marital sexual relationships during pregnancy. Of the respondents, 36.6% and 32.3% experienced a decrease in achievement of erection and orgasm, respectively. While libido decreased in 41.9%, coital frequency declined in 72.4% of the respondents. On univariate analysis, respondent's age > or = 40 years, duration of marriage > or = 5 years, having an extra-marital sexual partner and beliefs that coitus during pregnancy should be less frequent or can cause miscarriage were significant predictors of reduced coital frequency while a belief that coitus enhances fetal well-being was a significant predictor of increased coital frequency during pregnancy (P<0.05 for each variable). On multivariate logistic regression, three factors were statistically significant predictors of reduced coital frequency - age > or = 40 years (OR=2.3; 95% C.I., 1.9-2.3) and beliefs that coitus during pregnancy can cause miscarriage (OR=1.9; 95% C.I., 1.5-2.3) and should be less frequent (OR=1.9; 95% C.I., 1.8-2.5).


CONCLUSIONS
Personal beliefs significantly affect sexual relationships between Nigerian husbands and their pregnant wives, making approximately one-third of husbands engage in extra-marital relationships as a way to satisfy their unmet sexual need during pregnancy. There is a need to educate husbands and their pregnant wives on sexual matters during pregnancy.
Onah
H E
HE
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Nigeria. hyacinon@infoweb.abs.net
Iloabachie
G C
GC
Obi
S N
SN
Ezugwu
F O
FO
Eze
J N
JN
D005114:Extramarital Relations; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008571:Men / Q000523:psychology*; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data