Symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse at midlife, quality of life, and risk factors.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate quality of life, prevalence, and risk factors associated with symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse (POP) among middle-aged women.


METHODS
This was a cross-sectional study. A questionnaire was mailed to 3,114 women aged 50-61 years in the GAZEL cohort; 2,640 (85%) returned it. Symptomatic POP was defined by feeling a bulge from the vagina (sometimes, often, or all the time compared with never or rarely). Quality of life was determined with the Nottingham Health Profile questionnaire. Multiple linear regression was used to examine the association between frequency of POP symptoms and the quality-of-life score. Logistic regression was used to estimate the effect of risk factors on past or present symptomatic POP (current symptoms or previous surgery for POP).


RESULTS
The prevalence of symptomatic POP was 3.6% (96 of 2,640) and that of surgery for POP was 2.7% (70 of 2,640). Pelvic organ prolapse symptoms were associated with difficulty defecating, lower abdominal pain, and difficulty voiding. The frequency of POP symptoms was associated with a poorer quality-of-life score in each Nottingham Health Profile domain (physical mobility, pain, emotional reaction, social isolation, energy, and sleep). Even when we took general characteristics, medical history, and lifestyle associated with quality of life into account, the global Nottingham Health Profile score was significantly impaired by POP symptoms. Factors significantly associated with past or present symptomatic POP were high body mass index and the number of vaginal deliveries.


CONCLUSIONS
In our population of women in their 50s, POP symptoms are associated with impaired quality of life, and the number of vaginal deliveries is a risk factor for past or present symptomatic POP.
Fritel
Xavier
X
From Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM), UMR S149, IFR69, Epidemiological Research on Perinatal Health and Women's Health, Villejuif, France; Université Pierre-et-Marie-Curie Paris 6, Paris, France; INSERM U822-INED U14 "Reproductive health, sexuality, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection-epidemiology, demography, and social sciences," Université Paris 11, Le Kremlin-Bicétre, France; and INSERM U687-IFR69, "Public health and epidemiology of the social and occupational determinants of Health," Saint-Maurice, France; Equipe RPPC du Cetaf, Saint-Maurice, France; IFR69, Villejuif, France.
Varnoux
Noëlle
N
Zins
Marie
M
Breart
Gérard
G
Ringa
Virginie
V
D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014596:Uterine Prolapse / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*