Sexuality After Hysterectomy: A Qualitative Study on Women’s Sexual Experience After Hysterectomy

Objectives: This study was done to explore the sexual experience of women after hysterectomy. Materials and Methods: This is a qualitative study done by the use of content analysis method. The research community includes women with the experience of hysterectomy who were admitted to the treatment centers or private clinics in the west of Mazandaran province, Iran in 2016. Purposeful sampling was applied and the single face-to-face interview with 20 participants was the method for data gathering. Interview guide was used as the research tool; then the interviews were analyzed according to the Granheim and Lundman method. Results: The data has been classified into 4 main categories of “hysterectomy as a decaying or renewing process in sexual relationship”, “sexual ability with no womb”, “limitations of seeking help” and “perceiving the need for comprehensive supports”. Conclusion: Psychological interviews for exploring the fear of sexual behavior and consulting with peer groups or psychological consultation for couples before hysterectomy can help in clarifying the surgery side-effects and decreasing the fear. Mental and economical support from family members, following the treatment up and advanced supports like exploring sexual needs, screening the problems, educating couples on sexual affairs and rebuilding the self-image can be helpful in creating a stress-free sexual life for this group; besides, presenting treatment solutions like vaginoplasty or on time appropriate treatment of sexual problems is also recommended.