title: Benefit of pelvic floor muscle therapy in improving sexual function in women with stress urinary incontinence: a pretest-posttest intervention study.
abstract: Very few data are available on the effect of pelvic floor muscle training on sexual function in incontinent women. The authors used the Female Sexual Function Index to assess the effect of pelvic floor muscle training on female sexual function. Participants included women with stress urinary incontinence, without overactive bladder symptoms, who completed a 3-month pelvic floor muscle training. All patients completed the Female Sexual Function Index and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form at baseline and at the 3-month follow-up. Thirty-four patients completed all of the questionnaires; 64.7% patients were referred with stress urinary incontinence without sexual disorders, while 35.3% complained of stress urinary incontinence and sexual symptoms. The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form score significantly decreased after 3 months of pelvic floor muscle training (p =.01). The Female Sexual Function Index score significantly improved after pelvic floor muscle training even in women with sexual disorders (12.5 ± 9.5 vs. 29.7 ± 3.7; p <.001). This study showed that pelvic floor muscle training may improve female sexual function in women with pure stress urinary incontinence.
authors: a Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology , University of Insubria , Varese , Italy.
authors: Maurizio
authors: M
authors: Serati
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Braga
authors: Maria Carmela
authors: MC
authors: Di Dedda
authors: Paola
authors: P
authors: Sorice
authors: Elena
authors: E
authors: Peano
authors: Antonella
authors: A
authors: Biroli
authors: Marco
authors: M
authors: Torella
authors: Antonella
authors: A
authors: Cromi
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Uccella
authors: Stefano
authors: S
authors: Salvatore
authors: Fabio
authors: F
authors: Ghezzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D053580:Muscle Strength; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000502:physiology*; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*