Investigation of the relationship between maternal functions and the quality of sexual life of mothers with 0-24 months old babies

Aim: This study was conducted to examine the relationship between maternal functions and sexual life quality of mothers with babies aged 0-24 months. Material and Method: In the sample of the descriptive and relationship-seeking study, 377 women who applied to the pediatric clinic of a hospital in Rize between 05.12.2022 and 28.02.2023 and volunteered to participate in the research were included. Personal Information Form, Barkin Maternal Function Scale (BIMF), Sexual Quality of Life Scale-Female (SQLO-F) were used as data collection tools. Descriptive statistical methods, Cronbach Alpha reliability test, independent groups t test and ANOVA test were used to evaluate the research data. Results: It was determined that the average age of the mothers was 30.35±4.85, 50.4% of the mothers were university graduates or above, 74.5% were not working and 81.7 of them lived in a nuclear family type. It was found that the mothers' mean BIMF score was 77.48±11.06 and their mean SQLO-F score was 87.58±14.70. It was found that the difference in BIMF total score averages was statistically significant according to the planning status of the pregnancy, the presence of someone helping to care for the baby, the relationship with the spouse, and the status of sexual self-evaluation (p<0.05). Educational status, type of marriage, pregnancy resulting in miscarriage, stillbirth, abortion and premature birth, pregnancy planning status, people who support the pregnancy and the presence of someone who helps with baby care, relationship with the spouse, self-evaluation in sexual terms, spouse's reaction when the request for sexual intercourse is rejected and It was determined that the differences in SQLO-F total score averages according to the status of sharing sexual problems with a partner were statistically significant (p <0.05). It was determined that there were statistically significant, positive and low-level relationships between the "Self-Care", "Maternal Psychology", "Baby Care", "Social Support", "Adaptation to Motherhood" sub-dimensions and BIMF total scores and the SQLO-F total score (r=0,339) (p<0.05). It was found that there were statistically significant, negative and low-level relationships between age, duration of marriage, number of pregnancies, number of living children and the "Self-Care" sub-dimension score, BIMF total scores and SQLO-F total score (p<0.05). Conclusions: It has been observed that as mothers' maternal functions increase, their sexual life quality also increases. Training is recommended for mothers about adaptation to motherhood and quality of sexual life before, during and after pregnancy. Keywords: Motherhood, maternal function, sexual life, postpartum, nursing