title: The relationship between pelvic organ prolapse, genital body image, and sexual health.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pelvic organ prolapse involves physical changes to the genitals, potentially distressing to women. We hypothesized poorer genital body image in prolapsed women versus controls and that genital body image would correlate with sexual health.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy-four sexually active women, 13 with prolapse, 24 with surgically corrected prolapse, 37 without prolapse, completed the Genital Self Image Scale (GSIS-20), Body Esteem Scale (BES), and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In prolapsed women median GSIS-20 scores were 28/40, women with surgically corrected prolapse 32/40 and never prolapsed 34/40 (χ(2) = 9.6, P < 0.01). Post hoc analysis showed significant differences between prolapsed and never prolapsed groups (P < 0.05). After adjusting for BES, GSIS-20 correlated with overall FSFI (r = 0.384, P < 0.01), and its subscales of desire (r = 0.34, P < 0.05) and satisfaction (r = 0.41, P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women with prolapse are at risk for poorer genital body image and reduced sexual health.
authors.affiliation: Western Michigan University School of Nursing, University of Michigan Pelvic Floor Research Group, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49008-5345, USA. ruthcnm@umich.edu
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zielinski
authors.forename: Janis
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Lisa Kane
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Low
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sampselle
authors.forename: John O L
authors.initials: JO
authors.lastname: DeLancey
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001828:Body Image; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008824:Michigan; D008875:Middle Aged; D056887:Pelvic Organ Prolapse / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery; D011788:Quality of Life; D060728:Reproductive Health; D012649:Self Concept; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014621:Vagina / Q000473:pathology*