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The association between fecal incontinence and sexual activity and function in women attending a tertiary referral center

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Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

To determine whether fecal incontinence (FI) is associated with sexual activity and to compare sexual function in women with and without FI.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective chart review of all new patients seen in an academic urogynecology clinic. Women who reported fecal incontinence, as defined by loss of fecal material on the Wexner scale, were compared with those without fecal incontinence. We compared sexual activity and Pelvic Organ Prolapse Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire-12 (PISQ-12) scores between groups.

Results

In our population of women with pelvic floor disorder, 588 women reported FI compared with 527 who did not. On multivariate analysis, FI was not associated with sexual activity status, but was associated with worsened PISQ-12 scores (p < 0.001). PISQ-12 item analysis found that women with FI reported more dyspareunia, fear, and avoidance of sexual activity with greater partner problems (all p <0.05) than women without FI.

Conclusions

Women with FI were as likely to engage in sexual relations as women without FI; however, sexually active women with FI had poorer sexual function than those without FI.

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Conflicts of interest

Rebecca G Rogers is DSMB chair for American Medical Systems TRANSFORM trial; none of the other authors has a conflict of interest

Financial support

This study was supported by a pilot grant from the Clinical and Translational Science Center at the University of New Mexico. Supported by the National Center for Research Resources and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences through grant number UL1-RR031977.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fellow Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, University of New Mexico, MSC 10-5580, Albuquerque, NM, 87131-0001, USA

    Sara B. Cichowski & Rebecca G. Rogers

  2. Division of Urogynecology, University of New Mexico, MSC 10-5580, Albuquerque, NM, 87131-0001, USA

    Yuko M. Komesu, Gena C. Dunivan & Rebecca G. Rogers

Authors
  1. Sara B. Cichowski
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  2. Yuko M. Komesu
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  3. Gena C. Dunivan
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  4. Rebecca G. Rogers
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Sara B. Cichowski.

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Cichowski, S.B., Komesu, Y.M., Dunivan, G.C. et al. The association between fecal incontinence and sexual activity and function in women attending a tertiary referral center. Int Urogynecol J 24, 1489–1494 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-013-2044-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-013-2044-8

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