The impact of parenting on gay male couples' relationships, sexuality, and HIV risk.

Abstract

Parenthood changes couples' relationships across multiple domains, generally decreasing relationship quality, sexual satisfaction, and sexual frequency. Emerging research suggests that gay couples who are parenting might experience similar challenges. However, such changes might have even more profound implications for gay couples' health, and in particular their HIV risk, given the somewhat different ways in which they negotiate and tolerate sexual behaviors with outside partners. We aimed to examine these issues in a qualitative analysis of interviews from 48 gay male couples who were actively parenting children. Findings suggest that parenthood increases men's commitment to their primary relationship while simultaneously decreasing time and energy for relationship maintenance, and generally decreasing sexual satisfaction. These challenges alone did not generally result in greater infidelity or HIV risk, as most men reported successfully coping with such changes through a combination of acceptance and revaluing what is important in their relationships. Additionally, couples reported negotiating agreements regarding sex with outside partners that closely resemble those documented in studies of gay couples who are not parents. Men reported that parenthood typically decreased their opportunities to engage in sex with outside partners, but also posed barriers to talking about these behaviors with their partners and healthcare providers. HIV-related sexual risk behavior was relatively rare, but nevertheless present in some men. Providers should assess sexual function as a regular part of their work with gay couples who parent, and facilitate opportunities for men to discuss their sexual agreements both with their primary partners and with relevant healthcare providers.

A Close and Supportive Interparental Bond During Pregnancy Predicts Greater Decline in Sexual Activity From Pregnancy to Postpartum: Applying an Evolutionary Perspective

“…Research on changes in sexual desire and/or erectile function among fathers across the perinatal period is more limited, with most work documenting his reactions to his partner's changes in sexual desire (e.g., Schlagintweit et al, 2016). Similarly, the vast majority of studies examining changes in the sexual relationship among couples transitioning into parenthood have investigated mixedsex (male/female) couples; the few studies of same-sex couples have largely found patterns that parallel that of mixed-sex couples, with significant declines in sexual activity (Goldberg et al, 2010;Huebner et al, 2012) and sexual function (van Anders et al, 2013) in the initial postpartum/post-adoption period.…”

Personal or Relational? Examining Sexual Health in the Context of HIV Serodiscordant Same-Sex Male Couples

“…To be eligible for the parent project, both partners must have reported each other as their primary partner, defined as “someone to whom you feel committed above anyone else and with whom you have had a sexual relationship.” At least one partner in each couple was HIV-positive and on an acknowledged ART regimen for at least 30 days. In addition, participants were: (1) at least 18 years old; (2) born male and currently identified as male; (3) English speaking; and (4) able to provide informed consent. Between January 2009 and September 2012, surveys were administered with a combination of Computer Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) and Audio Computer Assisted Self Interviewing (ACASI) procedures.…”

Couple Resilience

“…Scholars have increasingly noted the diffi culty of individual-level HIV prevention interventions, and called for research that examines the social, relational and structural contexts of people's lives that sustain risk behavior or promote optimal health behaviors (Beyrer et al, 2012 ;Huebner, Mandic, Mackaronis, Beougher, & Hoff, 2012 ). As a large proportion of HIV risk behavior occurs within the context of a primary romantic relationship (Davidovich et al, 2001 ;Dolcini, Coates, Catania, Kegeles, & Hauck, 1995 ;Marin, Tschann, Gomez, & Kegeles, 1993 ;McCoy & Inciardi, 1993 ;Reilly & Woo, 2004 ;Sullivan, Salazar, Buchbinder, & Sanchez, 2009 ;Weinhardt et al, 2004 ), researchers have sought to examine how relationship dynamics contribute to risk behaviors, both within and outside the primary partnership among same-sex male couples Mitchell, Harvey, Champeau, & Seal, 2012 ;Prestage et al, 2008 ).…”