Sexual function before and after sacrocolpopexy for pelvic organ prolapse

Abstract

The objective of the study was to describe sexual function before and after sacrocolpopexy. In the Colpopexy and Urinary Reduction Efforts trial, sexual function was assessed in 224 women with sexual partners before and 1 year after surgery using validated questionnaires. After surgery, significantly fewer women reported sexual interference from "pelvic or vaginal symptoms" (32.5% 1 year after surgery vs 7.8% prior to surgery); fear of incontinence (10.7% vs 3.3%); vaginal bulging (47.3% vs 4.6%); or pain (39.9% vs 21.6%). The proportion of women with infrequent sexual desire (32%) did not change. More women were sexually active 1 year after surgery (171, 76.3%) than before surgery (148, 66.1%). The 11 women (7.4%) who became sexually inactive were more likely than sexually active women to report infrequent sexual desire (70.0% vs 22.1%, P < .001). The addition of Burch colposuspension did not have an impact on postoperative sexual function. After sacrocolpopexy, most women reported improvements in pelvic floor symptoms that previously interfered with sexual function. The addition of Burch colposuspension did not adversely influence sexual function.