In response to the growing number of parents that report significant issues with sexual desire following shifts that occur for women as they become a mother, a study by the University of Kentucky Research Foundation is investigating women’s sexual desire as it relates to parenthood. Through a study involving 200 mix-sex couples, including half with children living at home and half non-parent couples, the Foundation will collect research focused on desire and sexual goals for each participating group.

Participants will be evaluated on the impact of attitudes towards mothers as sexual beings, motherhood’s influence on daily levels of sexual desire, self-esteem and partner appraisals, and positive communication and desire discrepancies among couples with mothers vs. non-mothers.