For couples, the birth of a child brings its share of emotional, relational and sexual upheaval. Credit: Andy Quezada / Unsplash

Why do some parents have more sexual difficulties than others after having a baby? Childhood trauma plays a significant role, amplifying the other factors at play.

Having a child brings its own set of challenges for couples. On top of the physical, emotional and relationship adjustments that come with parenthood, parents also face changes in their sex lives. In particular, many report less frequent sex and lower sexual satisfaction . Although these difficulties are common among parents, they can still cause distress .

So why do some parents struggle more than others? To find out, we studied 437 couples who had resumed sexual activity (kissing, caressing or penetrative intercourse) after the birth of their child.…