What is worse for your sex life: starving, being depressed, or a new baby?

OBJECTIVE

To compare the current sexual functioning of women in an intimate relationship with anorexia nervosa, with major depression, and in the postpartum period.

METHOD

Complete data were available for 76 women who reported being in an intimate relationship (anorexia = 10; depression = 24; postpartum = 42). Sexual functioning was assessed using the Social Adjustment Scale (Weissman and Bothwell, Arch Gen Psychiatry, 33, 1111-1115, 1976).

RESULTS

Significant differences were found among groups for the frequency of sex (p =.03) and problems with sex (p < .001), but not for enjoyment of sex (p = .55). In the previous 2 weeks, women with anorexia nervosa or major depression were more likely to have had sex than postpartum women, but were also more likely to have had sexual problems than postpartum women. Most women with anorexia nervosa, women with major depression, and postpartum women reported enjoying sex.

CONCLUSION

Women with anorexia nervosa and women with major depression who are in an intimate relationship report a similar profile of current sexual functioning that is different from postpartum women both in the frequency of sexual encounters and in reported problems with sex.