Sexual function before and after sacrocolpopexy for pelvic organ prolapse.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to describe sexual function before and after sacrocolpopexy.


METHODS
In the Colpopexy and Urinary Reduction Efforts trial, sexual function was assessed in 224 women with sexual partners before and 1 year after surgery using validated questionnaires.


RESULTS
After surgery, significantly fewer women reported sexual interference from "pelvic or vaginal symptoms" (32.5% 1 year after surgery vs 7.8% prior to surgery); fear of incontinence (10.7% vs 3.3%); vaginal bulging (47.3% vs 4.6%); or pain (39.9% vs 21.6%). The proportion of women with infrequent sexual desire (32%) did not change. More women were sexually active 1 year after surgery (171, 76.3%) than before surgery (148, 66.1%). The 11 women (7.4%) who became sexually inactive were more likely than sexually active women to report infrequent sexual desire (70.0% vs 22.1%, P < .001). The addition of Burch colposuspension did not have an impact on postoperative sexual function.


CONCLUSIONS
After sacrocolpopexy, most women reported improvements in pelvic floor symptoms that previously interfered with sexual function. The addition of Burch colposuspension did not adversely influence sexual function.
Handa
Victoria L
VL
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
Zyczynski
Halina M
HM
Brubaker
Linda
L
Nygaard
Ingrid
I
Janz
Nancy K
NK
Richter
Holly E
HE
Wren
Patricia A
PA
Brown
Morton B
MB
Weber
Anne M
AM
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D013509:Gynecologic Surgical Procedures; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000601:surgery*