Vaginal noise: prevalence, bother and risk factors in a general female population aged 45-85 years.
OBJECTIVE
Vaginal noise (VN) is a symptom of pelvic floor (PF) dysfunction and has been described in a few studies. No other risk factors have been described besides parity and pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Underlying mechanisms of VN are unclear. Aims of this study were to describe prevalence, bother and relation between VN and PF (muscle)(dys)function.


METHODS
A cross-sectional study was performed on a general population of 2,921 women (aged 45-85 years). Questionnaires were filled in by 1,397 women, and 800 were selected at random to undergo vaginal examination for POP Quantification and PF muscle function assessment. Chi-square tests, Student's t test and multivariate logistic regression were performed (P < 0.05).


RESULTS
Response rate was 62.7%. Prevalence of VN was 12.8%; 72.1% reported only a little bother. Odds ratios for parity and solid stool were high.


CONCLUSIONS
VN was strongly related to many symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction, but it was only causing a little bother.
Slieker-ten Hove
Marijke C Ph
MC
Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. m.slieker@somt.nl
Pool-Goudzwaard
Annelies L
AL
Eijkemans
Marinus J C
MJ
Steegers-Theunissen
Regine P M
RP
Burger
Curt W
CW
Vierhout
Mark E
ME
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D014623:Vaginal Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*