title: Sexual dysfunction amongst women with Crohn's disease: a hidden problem.
abstract: The sexual problems of 50 women with Crohn's disease, of whom 45 had a stable relationship, were investigated by structured interview and compared with age-matched controls. Twenty-four percent patients had either infrequent or no intercourse compared with 4% of controls (chi 2 = 8.3, p < 0.005). However, amongst patients and controls who were sexually active, the frequency of intercourse was similar. Reasons for sexual inactivity included abdominal pain (24%), diarrhoea (20%) and fear of faecal incontinence (14%). Dyspareunia was common in patients (chi 2 = 6.5, p < 0.01) and this was irrespective of the site of disease (large vs. small bowel chi 2 = 0.85, NS). Women with perianal disease and fistulae were more likely to have dyspareunia than women with neither (chi 2 = 4.2, p < 0.05), although this was not so for less extensive involvement with only perianal disease (chi 2 = 2.8, NS) or fistulae (chi 2 = 0.8, NS). Vaginal candidiasis was more common in patients (chi 2 = 5.8, p < 0.02), and on occasions this may have contributed to dyspareunia. Women with Crohn's disease experience sexual problems much more than healthy controls and they need support, sympathetic investigation and management.
authors.affiliation: Gastrointestinal Research Unit, Leicester General Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Moody
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Probert
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Srivastava
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rhodes
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Mayberry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000523:psychology*; D004414:Dyspareunia / Q000209:etiology; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D012746:Sexual Abstinence; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000209:etiology*