Intolerance of uncertainty, intimacy, and sexual well-being among first-time parents.

This article investigates the roles of intolerance of uncertainty (IU) and perceived intimacy in the sexual well-being—specifically sexual desire and sexual satisfaction—of first-time parent couples during the transition to parenthood. In a longitudinal study of 211 Canadian couples, findings indicate that higher IU reported by childbearing mothers at four months postpartum is indirectly linked to lower sexual satisfaction for both partners and lower sexual desire for partners at 12 months postpartum, mediated by mothers' lower perception of intimacy at eight months postpartum. Partners' IU did not show significant associations with intimacy or sexual well-being, but both partners' higher perceived intimacy was related to better sexual outcomes. The study highlights the importance of addressing mothers' IU and fostering intimacy in interventions to support sexual well-being in new parents, while noting limitations such as sample homogeneity and reliance on self-report measures.