Intimacy During Pregnancy: Sexual Satisfaction and Mental Health
By Isabella Thompson, Erin Smidt, Celsey Selland, and David Allsop
March 6, 2026
This blog is a summary of our published article:
Allsop, D. B., Leavitt, C. E., Yorgason, J. B., & Holmes, E. K. (2021). Variable sexual satisfaction in pregnancy: A latent profile analysis of pregnant wives and their husbands. The Journal of Sex Research.
Photo by ShutterStock
How do couples experience sexual satisfaction during pregnancy, and what factors influence these experiences? This study explored sexual satisfaction among 523 newly married pregnant couples across the United States. Using a nationally representative sample, researchers sought to understand whether different groups of couples experience varying levels of sexual satisfaction during pregnancy. They also wanted to determine whether biological, psychological, and social factors could explain these differences.
What did we want to know?
The goal of this study was to identify whether groups of couples exist based on their sexual satisfaction during pregnancy and to discover what factors determined this. The study aimed to move beyond stereotypes that pregnancy universally reduces sexual satisfaction by examining a range of influences. Some of these included: depression, sleep, physical symptoms, and relationship quality.
What did we do?
Researchers applied a latent profile analysis to classify couples according to their reported sexual satisfaction. A latent profile analysis is a statistical method that identifies patterns within data. Both people in the couple were tasked with rating satisfaction across five main areas: affection, frequency, orgasm, creativity, and initiation. Analysis accounted for pregnancy-related biological factors, including sleep quality, physical symptoms, and weeks pregnant.
What did we find?
There were two distinct groups that were identified during this study. The first group was the More Satisfied Couples, with about 79%. Both partners generally reported being satisfied with their sexual relationships. Alternatively, the second group was the Less Satisfied Couples, accounting for about 21%. Couples in this group tended to feel neutral rather than dissatisfied with their sexual relationships.
The key differentiator between the two groups was the pregnant person's depressive symptoms. The lower the level of depression, the stronger the link to higher sexual satisfaction for both partners. No other biological or social factors showed a significant effect once depression was accounted for.
What does this mean?
This means that most newlywed pregnant couples in the United States report healthy and satisfying sexual relationships. This further challenges the common stereotype that pregnancy harms sexual intimacy. However, the pregnant person's mental health plays a crucial role in this outcome.
Healthcare providers and therapists should monitor and address depressive symptoms throughout pregnancy. It is not just postpartum that they should be focused on. Supporting women’s emotional well-being may also strengthen the couple's sexual satisfaction. Clinicians can help support this by helping partners communicate about changes in desire, comfort, and intimacy during pregnancy to maintain connection and reduce anxiety and depression.
Sexual satisfaction during pregnancy varies; however, most couples navigate these changes successfully. Mental health, especially the well-being of pregnant women, is essential to sustaining intimacy. Depressive symptoms can heavily influence the outcome of whether or not a couple is satisfied with their sexual relationship during pregnancy. Understanding the bio-psychosocial nature of sexuality in pregnancy helps couples and clinicians support sexual wellness during this significant life transition.
Photo by ShutterStock
References
Allsop, D. B., Leavitt, C. E., Yorgason, J. B., & Holmes, E. K. (2021). Variable sexual satisfaction in pregnancy: A latent profile analysis of pregnant wives and their husbands. The Journal of Sex Research.
