“It’s not perfect but it’s mine”: Genital self-image among women living in Italy

DeMaria, Andrea L.; Meier, Simon; Dykstra, Chandler

doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2019.03.011

Cited by 22 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 48 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…GSI is a subcategory of BI [14], which is defined as one's perception and experience of genitals, such as appearance, odor, and functionality [15]. During pregnancy several alterations occur throughout the body, including weight gain and skin changes [16].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors influencing stress, anxiety, and depression among Iranian pregnant women: the role of sexual distress and genital self-image

Keramat

Malary

Moosazadeh

et al. 2021

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background Pregnancy is a unique period with the increased likelihood of psychological changes and emotional disturbances such as depression, anxiety, and stress. In this study, we investigated the factors influencing depression, anxiety, and stress in pregnancy and identify their associations with Sexual Distress (SD) and Genital Self-Image (GSI). Methods This was a descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional study performed using the two-stage cluster sampling method between September 2019 and January 2020. Overall, 295 pregnant women completed a demographics and obstetric information checklist, Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSI), and Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised (FSDS-R). Results Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) showed significant differences in the mean scores of SD between the groups with varying degrees of depression, anxiety, and stress (P < 0.001) and in the mean score of GSI between the groups with varying degrees of depression (P = 0.01) and anxiety (P < 0.001). In multivariate linear regression analysis, higher (worse) depression, anxiety, and stress scores were found in women with more advanced age and higher SD scores; however, these scores were lower (better) in those with increased gestational age. Lower depression and anxiety scores were associated with moderate satisfaction with income, moderate satisfaction with BI in pregnancy, and lower stress and depression scores were linked to planned pregnancy. Higher (better) GSI score was a predictor of lower depression score, complication in a previous pregnancy was a predictor of higher stress score, and finally, fear of fetal abortion and being a housewife were predictors of a higher anxiety score. Conclusion Various factors contribute to the development of antenatal depression, anxiety, and stress. A positive correlation was found between SD and the severity of depression, anxiety, and stress, while a negative correlation was noted between GSI and the severity of depression and anxiety. Therefore, raising awareness regarding SD and GSI through screening and counseling sessions can have beneficial effects for mothers and their fetuses.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors influencing stress, anxiety, and depression among Iranian pregnant women: the role of sexual distress and genital self-image

Keramat

Malary

Moosazadeh

et al. 2021

BMC Pregnancy Childbirth

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…It was observed that the participants were ashamed when talking about their genitals and equated this with social taboos. Women's concerns about how their genitals might look were found to stem from limited information [4].…”

Section: Studies Concerning Genital Self Imagementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Genital self image can be expressed as the perception, attitude, and feelings that a person has about her genital organs [4]. Women's genitals are traditionally seen as more of a taboo and therefore may appear 'unknown' or 'foreign' to women.…”

Section: Body Imagementioning

confidence: 99%

“…The genital self-perception includes subjective thoughts and feelings against the genital appearance and function of the person and forms the basis of the genital self image. A subfield of body image studies is genital self-image and expresses individuals' attitudes, subjective feelings, and experiences towards their genital organs [3,4]. In another definition, it is a part of the behavioral and psychological aspects of physical health perceived from the genital organs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

A Literature Review on Genital Self Image in Women and Affecting Factors

Yüksekol

Yılmaz

Irtegün

2020

International Journal of Health Services Research and Policy

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Genital self image, which is an important factor for women's health, has been defined as the self-attitude resulting from special interactions and experiences involving the genital organs directly or indirectly, and the following emotion. The purpose of this review is to give general information about female genital self image and the factors affecting it and to draw attention to this issue. This study is a literature review. PUBMED, Ovid-MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, Scopus, EBSCO, ProQuest, ULAKBİM and Turkey Citation Index database were searched. Various Turkish and English combinations of the keywords "genital self, genital self image, genital self-perception" were used in the literature review. Genital self image; body image, organ loss, sexual functions, genital hygiene practices, vaginal infections, culture, obesity, developmental periods, and media. When we look at the literature, body image studies mostly focused on women's attitudes towards weight, skin color, and beauty leaving the issue of genital self image in the background. Genital self-image has an important place in the development of sexual health and body image. Recently, it has been found that women have an increasing desire to undergo genital cosmetic/plastic surgery operations and change the appearance and functions of their vulva and vagina due to their negative views on their genital self image. It is important to examine all the factors affecting the genital self image, which is of great importance for women's health, and to provide the necessary care by taking a holistic approach in terms of body perception and sexuality. Nurses/midwives should adopt approaches to increase the body and genital image of women and to increase the quality of life of individuals. Nurses / Midwives are healthcare professionals in the most appropriate position to provide the necessary support in developing a new genital self image and positive lifestyle.

show abstract

“…Another factor that seems to be associated with mental distress during pregnancy GSI. It is a subcategory of BI [14], which is de ned as one's perception and experience of their genitals, such as appearance, odor, and functionality [15]. During pregnancy several alterations occur throughout the body, including weight gain and skin changes [16].…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Factors Influencing Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Among Iranian Pregnant Women: The Role of Sexual Distress and Genital Self-image

Keramat

Malary

Moosazadeh

et al. 2020

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Pregnancy is a unique period with the increased likelihood of psychological changes and emotional disturbances such as depression, anxiety, and stress. In this study, we investigated the factors influencing depression, anxiety, and stress in pregnancy and identify their associations with Sexual Distress (SD) and Genital Self-Image(GSI). Methods: This was a descriptive, correlational, cross-sectional study performed between September 2019 and January 2020. Overall, 295 pregnant women completed a demographics and obstetric information checklist, Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21), Female Genital Self-Image Scale (FGSI), and Female Sexual Distress Scale-Revised (FSDS-R).Results: The mean score of SD was significantly associated with the severity of depression, anxiety, and stress. Also, the mean score of GSI was negatively correlated with the severity of depression and anxiety. Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the risk factors for depression include SD, fear of fetal abortion, bad experience in previous pregnancy, poor GSI, and advancing age, whereas satisfaction with income was a protective factor. SD, fear of fetal abortion, and increased duration of marriage were found to be associated with the development of anxiety symptoms, whereas satisfaction with income, positive body image, and increased gestational age had a protective effect against this variable. SD, adverse events in previous pregnancies, and advancing age were the risk factors, while planned pregnancy and increased gestational age were the protective factors against developing stress during pregnancy. Conclusion: Many factors influence the development of depression, anxiety and stress in pregnancy, which may be different or common. Some of these factors are avoidable and some are not. Therefore, considering all the factors comprehensively with emphasis on the improvement of preventable factors by screening and counseling can be useful for mothers and their fetuses.

show abstract

“It’s not perfect but it’s mine”: Genital self-image among women living in Italy

Cited by 22 publications

References 48 publications

Factors influencing stress, anxiety, and depression among Iranian pregnant women: the role of sexual distress and genital self-image

Factors influencing stress, anxiety, and depression among Iranian pregnant women: the role of sexual distress and genital self-image

A Literature Review on Genital Self Image in Women and Affecting Factors

Factors Influencing Stress, Anxiety, and Depression Among Iranian Pregnant Women: The Role of Sexual Distress and Genital Self-image

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About