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CONFERENCE PROCEEDING
Midwife-led interventions for preventing dyspareunia in postpartum women: A systematic review using the JBI methodology
1
Universidade do Minho, Escola Superior de Enfermagem, Braga, Portugal
Eur J Midwifery 2026;10(Supplement 1):A435
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Dyspareunia, defined as pain during sexual intercourse, is a common condition (35%) among postpartum women, with a direct impact on quality of life, mental health and marital well-being. Evidence suggests that pain persists for up to two years after delivery. However, evidence on effective midwife-led interventions remains scattered.
OBJECTIVES:
To synthesize scientific evidence on midwife-led interventions to prevent dyspareunia in postpartum women, following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology.
METHODS:
Guiding PICO question: Which midwife-led interventions are effective in preventing dyspareunia in postpartum women? A systematic search was conducted in the PubMed, CINAHL, LILACS, Scopus and Web of Science databases for studies published between 2018 and 2025, in Portuguese, English and Spanish. The descriptors used included MeSH terms and keywords combined with Boolean operators, such as: ("dyspareunia" OR "dyspareunia") AND ("postpartum"OR"postnatal") AND ("midwives"OR"midwifery") AND ("intervention"OR"prevention"). Inclusion criteria: studies involving postpartum women up to 12 months after delivery, with interventions conducted by midwives aiming at the prevention of dyspareunia. Randomized clinical trials, non-randomized controlled studies and observational studies with a control group were included. Study selection, data extraction (two reviewers) and critical quality assessment: GRADE approach. The extracted data were narratively synthesized, given the heterogeneity of the interventions and outcomes.
RESULTS:
It was 345 studies identified, 12 met the inclusion criteria, covering interventions such as education on perineal care, physiotherapy techniques, use of lubricants, topical hormonal therapies and counselling on gradual sexual activity, and demonstrated significant reductions in the incidence or severity of dyspareunia after midwife-led interventions compared with controls. Quality assessment indicated moderate to high methodological rigor in all studies.
CONCLUSIONS:
Midwife-led interventions are effective in preventing dyspareunia in postpartum women, highlighting the importance of incorporating standardized protocols into postpartum care. Further high-quality randomized controlled trials are recommended to optimize/standardize these interventions.
KEY MESSAGE:
dyspareunia; postpartum;midwives;interventions Poster session 1 (Group A)
Dyspareunia, defined as pain during sexual intercourse, is a common condition (35%) among postpartum women, with a direct impact on quality of life, mental health and marital well-being. Evidence suggests that pain persists for up to two years after delivery. However, evidence on effective midwife-led interventions remains scattered.
OBJECTIVES:
To synthesize scientific evidence on midwife-led interventions to prevent dyspareunia in postpartum women, following the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology.
METHODS:
Guiding PICO question: Which midwife-led interventions are effective in preventing dyspareunia in postpartum women? A systematic search was conducted in the PubMed, CINAHL, LILACS, Scopus and Web of Science databases for studies published between 2018 and 2025, in Portuguese, English and Spanish. The descriptors used included MeSH terms and keywords combined with Boolean operators, such as: ("dyspareunia" OR "dyspareunia") AND ("postpartum"OR"postnatal") AND ("midwives"OR"midwifery") AND ("intervention"OR"prevention"). Inclusion criteria: studies involving postpartum women up to 12 months after delivery, with interventions conducted by midwives aiming at the prevention of dyspareunia. Randomized clinical trials, non-randomized controlled studies and observational studies with a control group were included. Study selection, data extraction (two reviewers) and critical quality assessment: GRADE approach. The extracted data were narratively synthesized, given the heterogeneity of the interventions and outcomes.
RESULTS:
It was 345 studies identified, 12 met the inclusion criteria, covering interventions such as education on perineal care, physiotherapy techniques, use of lubricants, topical hormonal therapies and counselling on gradual sexual activity, and demonstrated significant reductions in the incidence or severity of dyspareunia after midwife-led interventions compared with controls. Quality assessment indicated moderate to high methodological rigor in all studies.
CONCLUSIONS:
Midwife-led interventions are effective in preventing dyspareunia in postpartum women, highlighting the importance of incorporating standardized protocols into postpartum care. Further high-quality randomized controlled trials are recommended to optimize/standardize these interventions.
KEY MESSAGE:
dyspareunia; postpartum;midwives;interventions Poster session 1 (Group A)
| eISSN: | 2585-2906 |
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