title: The prevalence and factors associated with previous surgery for pelvic organ prolapse and/or urinary incontinence in a cross-sectional study in The Netherlands.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To estimate the prevalence and identify the factors associated with previous pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and/or incontinence surgery.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a cross-sectional study, all women who were aged 45-85 years and registered in eight general practices were invited to participate. They completed standardised questionnaires (the urinary distress inventory (UDI) and the defaecatory distress inventory (DDI)) and answered questions on previous pelvic floor surgery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 2979 women eligible for this study, 1380 women were included. Previous surgery had been performed in 119 women. The prevalence of surgery increased with age, with a prevalence of 20.3% in the age group 76-85 years. Pelvic floor symptoms were more prevalent in women who had undergone previous surgery, with higher UDI and DDI scores. Factors associated with previous surgery were age, higher BMI, POP symptoms during pregnancy and previous hernia surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In The Netherlands, approximately one in five women will undergo surgery for POP and/or incontinence during her lifetime. The women who underwent surgery were more likely to have symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction than those who did not undergo surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, The Netherlands. T.deBoer@obgyn.umcn.nl
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: de Boer
authors.forename: M C P
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Slieker-Ten Hove
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Burger
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Kluivers
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Vierhout
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000601:surgery; D056887:Pelvic Organ Prolapse / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D015995:Prevalence; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*