Department of General Psychology, University of Padua, Via Venezia 8, 35131, Padua, Italy.
Cardiology Rehabilitative Unit, IRCCS, Maugeri Clinical Scientific Institutes, Milan, Italy.
Arch Sex Behav. 2022 Apr;51(3):1647-1657. doi: 10.1007/s10508-022-02284-w. Epub 2022 Feb 14.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating disease characterized by elevation in pulmonary artery pressure causing progressive symptoms: shortness of breath, fatigue, and a decline in functional ability. Research on the impact of PAH on sexual and reproductive health was sparse. The aim of this study is to explore sexual and reproductive health of women with PAH in relation to their illness experience. Twenty-five women with PAH participated in semistructured interviews. A thematic analysis was conducted on the transcripts using the ATLAS.ti software. Four main themes were identified: illness experience, intimate relationship, sexuality, and attitudes toward pregnancy. Results showed that illness changed women's self-perception, couples' relationship, sexuality, and the idea of an eventual pregnancy. The relationship with the partner was usually indicated as an important resource, whereas communication with health care professionals was a critical but also potential key resource for the future. Results point to the need for intervention strategies to support women with PAH and help them make aware choices. Moreover, intervention strategies may inform health care interventions and policies for tackling the challenges posed by this illness.
肺动脉高压（PAH）是一种破坏性疾病，其特征是肺动脉压升高，导致进行性症状：呼吸急促、疲劳和功能能力下降。关于 PAH 对性和生殖健康影响的研究很少。本研究旨在探讨 PAH 女性的性和生殖健康与她们的疾病经历的关系。25 名 PAH 女性参加了半结构化访谈。使用 ATLAS.ti 软件对转录本进行主题分析。确定了四个主要主题：疾病经历、亲密关系、性行为和对怀孕的态度。结果表明，疾病改变了女性的自我认知、夫妻关系、性行为和最终怀孕的想法。与伴侣的关系通常被认为是一个重要的资源，而与医疗保健专业人员的沟通是未来的一个关键但潜在的资源。结果表明，需要采取干预策略来支持 PAH 女性，并帮助她们做出明智的选择。此外，干预策略可以为医疗干预和解决这一疾病带来的挑战的政策提供信息。
