Validation of the Female Sexual Function Index in Brazilian pregnant women

PURPOSE: to translate and to validate the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) for Brazilian pregnant women. METHODS: ninety-two pregnant women attended at a low risk prenatal clinic, with diagnosis of the pregnancy confirmed by precocious ultrasonography, participated in the research. Initially, we translated the FSFI questionnaire for Portuguese language (of Brazil) in agreement with the international criteria. Cultural, conceptual and semantics adaptations of FSFI were accomplished, because of the differences of the language, so that the pregnant women understood the subjects. All the patients answered FSFI twice, in the same day, with two different interviewers, with an hour interval from one to other interview. After 7 to 14 days, the questionnaire was applied again in a second interview. Reliability (internal intra and interobserver consistence) and the validity of the constructo (to demonstrate that questionnaire measures the sexual function) were appraised. RESULTS: Cultural adaptations were necessary for us to obtain the final version. The internal intra-observer (alpha of Chronbach) consistence of the several domains oscillated from moderate to strong (0,791 to 0,911) and the interobserver consistence varied from 0,791 to 0,914. In the validation of the constructo, were obtained moderate correlations to fort among the final scores (general) of FSFI and of Female Sexual Quotient (QSF) that has the capacity to evaluate the feminine sexual function. CONCLUSIONS: FSFI was adapted to the Portuguese language and to the Brazilian culture, presenting significant reliability and validity; it could be included and used in future studies of the Brazilian pregnant sexual function.