Determination of women's genital self-image, sexual self-schema and urinary i̇ncontinence awareness and attitude levels according to the mode of delivery

This study aimed to determine the relationship between women's birth mode preference, genital self-image, sexual self-schema, and urinary incontinence awareness levels. This descriptive-cross-sectional study was conducted with 353 participants who gave birth at Hacettepe University Adult Hospital between March and July 2024. Data were collected using the Sociodemographic-Obstetric Characteristics Form, Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSIS), Sexual Self-Schema Scale, and Urinary Incontinence Awareness Scale (URINAS). Data were analyzed using the Independent Samples t-test, One Way ANOVA, and Pearson correlation analysis. The mean age of the participants was 29.31±4.19 years, 57.5% had a cesarean section, and 42.5% had a vaginal delivery. The mean score of the factors preventing the acceptance of postpartum women as a health problem subdimension is 34.87±5.07, the mean score of the health motivation subdimension is 13.36±5.19, the mean score of the coping with urinary incontinence subdimension is 8.62±3.99, the mean score of the restrictions subdimension is 11.68±2.76, and the mean score of the fear of urinary incontinence subdimension is 12.70±3.93. The total mean score of the sexual self-schema scale is 132.78±15.95, and the total mean score of the genital self-image scale is 22.73±4.67. No relationship was found between the FGSIS and the Sexual Self-Schema Scale. A relationship was found only between the health motivation subdimension score of the urinary incontinence awareness scale and the FGSIS score, and again, only between the fear of restriction and urinary incontinence subdimension score and the Sexual Self-Schema Scale total score.