Adult Female Population Research Articles

Impacts of land use types on spatial patterns and neighbourhood distance of the agroforestry palm Borassus aethiopum Mart. in two climatic regions in Benin, West Africa

Spatial pattern (SP) and neighbourhood distance (ND) of trees are crucial for pollination services, in particular for dioecious species. However, land use types through human disturbances may affect the natural SP and ND and possibly have a negative effect on pollination services. Though several studies have focused on the effect of land use types on SP of trees, few have reported on ND. In this study, we compared SP and ND of the dioecious Borassus aethiopum Mart. between two land use types (protected areas vs farmlands) in two contrasting climatic regions (semi-arid vs sub-humid) in Benin. Trees were mapped in twelve plots from six populations. Pair-correlation function was used to generate univariate and bivariate SP and ND. Next, ANOVA was used to compare ND. While supporting the overall trend towards a less aggregated pattern along plant life-cycle, the study showed that the SP of B. aethiopum was altered from aggregated and spatial association in protected areas toward random and independence patterns in farmlands with increased ND among individuals, particularly between adult males and females. In addition, differences in ND between land use types varied across climatic regions, the differences being higher in the drier semi-arid region, thus suggesting more intense human activities in this region and climatic region-specific management. Management actions should mainly aim at reducing or not further increasing ND, particularly between female and male adult populations in farmlands in the semi-arid region through planting new individuals of B. aethiopum trees or limiting their removal but at the same time account for other tree species to maximise diversity of farmlands’ functions and services. Further studies should examine whether the observed increased ND due to human-disturbances in farmlands is detrimental for the species pollination services, fruit production and whether it affects the species spatio-temporal population genetic structuring.

The relationship between vertical cup–disc ratio and body mass index in a population of adult Saudi females

Purpose: The vertical cup–disc (C/D) ratio is useful clinically in optic-disc assessment in glaucoma suspects and diagnosing glaucomas and is thought to also be influenced by many ocular and systemic factors. The body mass index (BMI) is said to be an important parameter which influences vertical C/D ratio and different studies have shown different correlation between these two variables. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship of vertical C/D ratio with BMI in a population of Saudi adult females. Methods: One hundred and one female participants in the age group 18 to 40 years were included in a cross-sectional study after obtaining information regarding demographic data, ocular/systemic diseases, and surgeries by an oral interview. The BMI was calculated as ratio of body weight divided by the square of the body height. C/D ratio was recorded with direct ophthalmoscopic examination and examination with 90-D (Volk) lens. Analysis of variance was used to examine the BMI on vertical C/D ratio. A P-value <0.05 was considered to be statistically significant with confidence interval of 95%. Results: The mean BMI was 22.7 (±4.49) and the mean C/D ratio was 0.22 (±0.14). No significant relationship between increasing vertical C/D ratio and BMI P-value 0.154 was found. Conclusion: This study, conducted as a pilot study to investigate the relationship between C/D ratio and BMI in a young female Saudi population, found no significant relationship between vertical C/D ratio and BMI. This relationship is important as it helps to rule out effect of BMI on C/D ratio parameters in this population.

An Analysis of Depression and Diabetes amongst African American Women

This study determined the level of depression and the rate of diabetes among the adult African American female population. By identifying the population early, one can save millions of dollars, improve health outcomes, and treat depression that typically interferes with diabetes management. The study used secondary data from the 2011-2012 California Health Interview Survey. The 2011-2012 CHIS surveyed 42,935 adults and of those surveyed 1,403 respondents identified themselves as African Americans. Chi-square analysis was used to determine the strength of the association between diabetes in African American women with depression and exercise. The results of the statistical tests show that there was an association between the independent variables suggesting a statistically significant relationship in African American women. A major limitation of the study was the small number of African Americans interviewed in the survey. A larger sample size at the national level is recommended to more closely scrutinize the directional nature of the relationship between diabetes and depression in African American women.

Prevalence of knee osteoarthritis in a suburban, Srilankan, adult female population: a population-based study.

Prevalence of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) has not been assessed in Sri Lanka, since 2006. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of clinical KOA and radiographic KOA and to assess the severity of it, among adult females of a suburban setting in Sri Lanka. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among a representative sample of 666 females aged 50 years or more resident in Pita Kotte Medical Officer of Health area. Four physiotherapy graduates applied American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria by performing the clinical assessment in the households. Participants with clinical knee osteoarthritis were referred for radiography to identify radiographic osteoarthritis and to assess severity. Age standardized prevalence of clinical KOA for Sri Lanka was estimated based on population statistics of 2001 Census. Study included 666 adult females with a response rate of 99.4%. The mean age was 63.3 years (±9.29 years). A total of 134 were found to satisfy ACR criteria resulting in a crude prevalence of clinical KOA of 20.1% (95% CI 17.0%-23.2%). Estimated age standardized prevalence of clinical KOA for Sri Lanka was 21.8% (95% CI 21.7-21.9). Among those with clinical KOA 58.9% showed radiographic KOA and the prevalence of moderate/severe KOA among those with clinical KOA was 29.9%. Prevalence of clinical KOA among the adult females over 50 years was high with considerable proportion of them being moderate /severe KOA. These findings should be used to advice the health authorities regarding improving preventive and curative services for KOA.

How Short Is Short, and Why? A Probable Case of Proportionate Dwarfism From Egypt's Third Intermediate Period in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt

AbstractThis study describes a probable proportionate dwarf from a Third Intermediate Period cemetery at Ain Tirghi in the Dakhleh Oasis, Egypt. The skeleton (Burial 22 or B22) is an adult woman estimated to be in her mid‐to‐late thirties. Most medical literature defines an adult stature of 2 standard deviations below the population mean as an indicator for clinically short stature, with some bioarchaeologists and clinicians identifying severe short stature at 3 standard deviations below the population mean. B22 satisfies either criteria when compared with the Ain Tirghi adult female population mean for measurements of the radii and femora, as well as the summed measurements of the femora and tibiae. Her limb proportions were normal, and this, with a lack of morphological abnormalities, eliminated several possible causes of small stature (e.g. achondroplasia). The differential diagnosis for an individual with short stature and normal proportions indicates that she represents a probable case of pituitary dwarfism or hypopituitarism. B22 was buried in the same fashion as adjacent burials in a family group burial and showed no differential indication of physiological stress or illness. Contextualised with the Egyptological and archaeological evidence of dwarfism in Egypt, this case study considers the social perceptions of dwarfism in ancient Egypt and suggests that pituitary dwarfs, like disproportionate dwarfs, likely led normal, if not privileged lives. Therefore, according to the social theory of disability, B22 was not necessarily disabled despite her impairment. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Clinical behavior of a cohort of adult women with facial acne treated with combined oral contraceptive: ethinylestradiol 20 µg/dienogest 2 mg.

Acne vulgaris is the most common skin disease. It affects the young adult female population and generates great impact on physical and mental health. One of the treatments with good results for affected women is combined oral contraceptive pills (COCPs). The aim of this study was to determine the clinical effect of facial acne management with ethinylestradiol 20 µg/dienogest 2 mg in a cohort of Colombian adult women. A cohort of 120 female university students was followed for 12 months. These participants were enrolled in the Sexual and Reproductive Health Program of the Santiago de Cali University. This cohort admitted women between 18 and 30 years old who had chosen to start birth control with ethinylestradiol 20 µg/dienogest 2 mg COCPs, did not have contraindi cations to the use of COCPs, and had been diagnosed with acne. Monthly monitoring of facial acne lesion count was performed. Relative changes in facial lesion count were identified. At the end of follow-up, the percentage of reduction of lesions was 94% and 23% of women had a 100% reduction in acne lesions. In conclusion, the continued use of the ethinylestradiol 20 µg/dienogest 2 mg COCPs reduced inflammatory and non-inflammatory acne lesions in reproductive-age women between 18 and 30 years of age with no severe acne.

Implementation of Financial Inclusion Strategy in Nigeria

While global effort towards effective financial inclusion strategy has heightened over the past decade because of its positive correlation with improved income, employment generation, poverty reduction, and a stable financial system, research to date has not given adequate attention to the efficacy of national financial inclusion policy implementation in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation. This paper applies the theory of change to critically evaluate how Nigeria’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy launched in 2012 is working towards achieving its set goal of reducing financial exclusion from 46.3 percent in 2010 to 20.0 percent by 2020. Annual data spanning 2008 to 2016 sourced from the World Bank’s Global Financial Inclusion database, the Central Bank of Nigeria, and Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA) biennial surveys, were analyzed using descriptive statistics, tables and graphs to show the trend of key variables and regional differences. Progress made on nine key performance indicators (KPIs) of financial inclusion were investigated nationally and geopolitically. While Nigeria’s financial exclusion rate has reduced from 52.5 percent in 2008 to 41.6 percent in 2016, more than half (55.4%) of the female adult population still remained excluded. The South-West geopolitical zone has surpassed the 20 percent exclusion rate target, but the remaining zones, particularly in the Northern part of the country, remain largely financially excluded. Out of the nine major KPIs, expansion of banks’ branches and penetration of the agency banking system are the only two indicators that have recorded high level achievement towards meeting the 2020 targets. Evidently, concerted implementation is needed to achieve financial inclusion in Nigeria. To this end, the paper recommends a four-pillar implementation framework anchored on enhanced businessfriendly environment, financial innovation, mobile capacity, and robust financial education.

Dental caries experience and treatment needs of an adult female population in Nigeria.

Experience and awareness of adult females concerning dental caries is important in its prevention particularly in children because of their natural role as care givers. To determine the prevalence of dental caries and treatment needs in an adult female Nigerian population. In this cross-sectional study, adult females attending outreach programmes were examined for dental caries using the Decayed Missing and Filled Teeth caries index (DMFT). Socio-demographic variables were also recorded and statistical analysis done with SPSS software. A total of 430 females aged 16 to 59 years participated in the outreach programme out of which 109 (25.3%) had a DMFT score > 0. Mean DMFT was 0.7 ± 1.6. Fifty-five (12.8%) participants had decayed teeth, 78 (18.1 %) had missing teeth and 10(2.3%) had filled teeth. The treatment need was 34.3%, restorative index was 13.3% and significant caries index was 2.0. There were significant differences in caries experience based on age, marital status and educational qualifications of participants p < 0.05. The prevalence of dental caries among the study group was low but the treatment need was high. Younger females, singles and those with lower educational qualifications had a higher dental caries experience.

Postharvest fumigation of California table grapes with ozone to control Western black widow spider (Araneae: Theridiidae)

Ozone fumigations were evaluated for postharvest control of Western black widow spider (BWS), Latrodectus hesperus (Chamberlin and Ivie), in fresh table grapes destined for export from California USA. Mature adult female black widow spiders were contained in separate gas-permeable cages within a flow-through vacuum chamber and exposed for 1h at 3±1°C (x¯±s) and 67.5kPa to gaseous ozone at eight steady-state concentrations (i.e, [O3]ss) over the range 0.71±0.04–16.91±0.28gm−3 (x¯±s) (i.e., 500±25–12,000±200ppmv (μLL−1)) with or without supplementation of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, respectively 129.3 or ca. 0.8gm−3 [CO2]ss (i.e., 100,000 or ca. 600ppmv). Regression models of the concentration-mortality response predict 98% mortality of adult female BWS populations following ozone fumigation for 1h at 3±1°C when headspace [O3]ss is maintained at ∼14gm−3 (i.e., 10,000ppmv) with ambient atmospheric CO2 levels ([CO2]ss=0.8gm−3). Providing evidence to support the use of these treatment parameters for control of BWS in packed table grapes, 0 survivors were observed from 268 total specimens treated in a series of confirmatory fumigations conducted for 1h at 3±1°C and 67.5kPa with headspace [O3]ss and [CO2]ss maintained ≥14 and ca. 0.8gm−3, respectively.

Population size estimation of female sex workers in Iran: Synthesis of methods and results.

IntroductionEstimating the number of key populations at risk of HIV is essential for planning, monitoring, and evaluating prevention, care, and treatment programmes. We conducted this study to estimate the number of female sex workers (FSW) in major cities of Iran.MethodsWe used three population size estimation methods (i.e., wisdom of the crowds, multiplier method, and network scale-up) to calculate the number of FSW in 13 cities in Iran. The wisdom of the crowds and multiplier methods were integrated into a nationwide bio-behavioural surveillance survey in 2015, and the network scale-up method was included in a national survey of the general population in 2014. The median of the three methods was used to calculate the proportion of the adult female population who practice sex work in the 13 cities. These figures were then extrapolated to provide a national population size estimation of FSW across urban areas.ResultsThe population size of FSW was 91,500 (95% Uncertainty Intervals [UIs] 61,400–117,700), corresponding to 1.43% (95% UIs 0.96–1.84) of the adult (i.e., 15–49 year-old) female population living in these 13 cities. The projected numbers of FSW for all 31 provincial capital cities were 130,800 (95% UIs 87,800–168,200) and 228,700 (95% UIs 153,500–294,300) for all urban settings in Iran.ConclusionsUsing methods of comparable rigor, our study provided a data-driven national estimate of the population size of FSW in urban areas of Iran. Our findings provide vital information for enhancing HIV programme planning and lay a foundation for assessing the impact of harm reduction efforts within this marginalized population.

Adherence and Persistence With Therapy Among Newly Prescribed Fibromyalgia Patients in Israel

Background: Fibromyalgia is a chronic debilitating disorder affecting over 4% and ~1.5% of the female and male adult population worldwide, respectively. The study aimed to assess 1-year persistence and adherence with therapy among newly prescribed fibromyalgia patients and to identify factors associated with therapy discontinuation.

Female Genital Self-Image: How Is This Measured?

A range of female genital cosmetic surgeries now exist for women who wish to correct functional or aesthetic dissatisfaction with their vulvas. To contribute to further research exploring in detail the reasons women seek labiaplasty, this study sought to identify and compare all standardized survey tools used to measure female genital self-image (FGSI). This study examined surveys which had been undertaken on adult female populations. A literature review was conducted systematically using 5 search engines (PSYCinfo, Medline [Full Text], Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed and hand-searching) and 6 variations of keywords. Once an FGSI tool was sourced, any studies found with a title or abstract containing the word ‘validation’ were further analysed. Tools were compared and contrasted. Many tools were incorrectly cited or very difficult to locate. Despite this, 18 tools purporting to measure genital image were found of which only 10 had been validated. The majority were developed between 1995 and 2015 in America and use Likert scales to measure women’s attitudes. The numbers of items ranged from 3 to 220. Tools were also compared to determine inclusion of items on a series of seven areas identified from the literature as having a role in genital self-image: smell, sexual role and appearance of a woman’s own genitals, comfort with exposing genitals to health practitioners, discomfort wearing tight clothing or exercising, attitude to own genitals in relation to other women, and understanding of her sexual anatomy.

Treatment strategies for the female athlete triad in the adolescent athlete: current perspectives.

Since the passage of Title IX in 1972, female sports participation has dramatically increased. The benefits of physical activity, including decreased risk for heart disease and diabetes as well as improved body image and self-esteem, far outweigh the risks. However, a select population of adolescent and young adult females may experience symptoms related to the female athlete triad (Triad), which refers to the interrelatedness of energy availability, menstrual function, and bone mineral density (BMD). These conditions often manifest clinically as disordered eating behaviors, menstrual irregularity, and stress fractures; an individual may suffer from 1 or all of the Triad components simultaneously. Because of the complex nature of the Triad, treatment is challenging and requires a multidisciplinary approach. Team members often include a physician, psychologist or psychiatrist, nutritionist or dietitian, physical therapist, athletic trainer, coach, family members, and most importantly, the patient. A thorough physical examination by a primary care physician is essential to identify all organs/systems that may be impacted by Triad-related conditions. Laboratory tests, assessment of bone density, nutritional assessment, and behavior health evaluation guide the management of the female athlete with Triad-related conditions. Treatment of the Triad includes adequate caloric consumption to restore a positive energy balance; this is often the first step in successful management of the Triad. In addition, determining the cause of menstrual dysfunction (MD) and resumption of menses is very important. Nonpharmacologic interventions are the first choice; pharmacologic treatment for MD is reserved only for those patients with symptoms of estrogen deficiency or infertility. Lastly, adequate intake of calcium and vitamin D is critical for lifelong bone health. For this review, a comprehensive search of relevant databases from the earliest dates to July 2016 was performed. Keywords, including female athlete triad, adolescent female athlete, disordered eating, eating disorder, low energy availability, relative energy deficit, anorexia, bulimia, menstrual dysfunction, amenorrhea, oligoamenorrhea, bone mineral density, osteopenia, osteoporosis, stress fracture, and stress reaction, were utilized to search for relevant articles. Articles that directly addressed assessment and management of any 1 or all of the Triad components were included in this comprehensive review. The purpose of this narrative review is to provide the reader with the latest terms used to define the components of the female athlete triad, to discuss examination and diagnosis of the Triad, and lastly, to provide the reader with the latest evidence to successfully implement a multidisciplinary treatment approach when providing care for the adolescent female athlete who may be suffering from Triad-related components.

Actualización en incontinencia urinaria femenina

The urinary incontinence is a highly prevalent symptom in the adult female population. It has important psychosocial and economic connotations, and affects the quality of life of these patients.As it is an under-diagnosed problem due to patients not always consulting for it, it is very important to keep this in mind and to provide an opportunistic screening from Primary Health Care. It is difficult to determine the costs of this, but it is estimated to be the 2% of the health budget.Because of all of this, it is very important to know how to make a correct diagnose of this condition, to determine the different types of incontinence, possible causes, and treatments available. The purpose of this review is to show the different diagnostic and therapeutic tools available, to show the Primary Health Care role in this condition, and when to refer to specialist care.

Profile of Obesity and Diabetes Mellitus in Adult Female Population in North Sumatera, Indonesia

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have become the leading causes of death globally, including Indonesia. This study is conducted to find out the distribution of obesity and diabetes mellitus (DM) in adult female population in North Sumatera Utara, Indonesia. A cross-sectional study was conducted from August to September 2016 on a total of 200 adult female respondents aged 20-65 years who agreed to participate in Langkat district and Medan city, North Sumatra. Criteria of obesity based on Body Mass Index (BMI), might be inappropriate for Asian population. DM was diagnosed if plasma glucose level is >200 mg/dl. The prevalence of obesity in female among aged ≥20 years were 68.5%. Subsequently, obesity and overweight categories of BMI are highest in the 41-50 year age group (35.5% and 20.5% respectively) as well as pre-DM and DM (24.5 and 11.5%, respectively). The age group of 41-50 years old have also the highest rates of obesity and overweight BMI categories as well as highest rate of DM in this research. In addition, more investigation is needed to establish a relationship between obesity and DM. Therefore, comprehensive strategies for the prevention and control of the problem of obesity and DM in adult female are urgently required.

PATTERN OF ADVERSE DRUG REACTIONS IN A TERTIARY CARE TEACHING HOSPITAL: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

ABSTRACTObjective: The aim of this study was to carry out adverse drug reactions (ADRs) monitoring in various departments of a tertiary care teaching hospital.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on ADRs reported in the hospital from December 2012 to May 2013 after obtaining InstitutionalEthics Committee approval.Results: A total of 40 ADRs were reported, 47.50% were males and 52.50% were females. The female adult population was 45%. The majority of ADRswere due to antimicrobial agents especially beta-lactam antibiotics (42.5%) followed by NSAIDs (7.50%). A maximum number of patients (75%)were reported with dermatological manifestations. The department of medicine reported the highest number of ADRs (37.5%). As per Naranjo’sprobability scale, 62.5% reports were assessed as probable. 62.5% reports were documented as mild according to Modified Hartwig’s criteria forseverity assessment.Conclusion: This study was done to sensitize the practicing physicians on the importance of adverse drug monitoring and reporting.Keywords: Pharmacovigilance, Adverse drug reactions, Tertiary care teaching hospital, Antimicrobial agents.

A Large Scale Biorational Approach Using Bacillus thuringiensis israeliensis (Strain AM65-52) for Managing Aedes aegypti Populations to Prevent Dengue, Chikungunya and Zika Transmission.

BackgroundAedes aegypti is a container-inhabiting mosquito and a vector of dengue, chikungunya, and Zika viruses. In 2009 several cases of autochthonous dengue transmission were reported in Key West, Florida, USA prompting a comprehensive response to control A. aegypti. In Key West, larvae of this mosquito develop in containers around human habitations which can be numerous and labor intensive to find and treat. Aerial applications of larvicide covering large areas in a short time can be an efficient and economical method to control A. aegypti. Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis (Bti) is a bacterial larvicide which is highly target specific and appropriate for wide area spraying over urban areas, but to date, there are no studies that evaluate aerial spraying of Bti to control container mosquitoes like A. aegypti.MethodologyThis paper examines the effectiveness of aerial larvicide applications using VectoBac® WG, a commercially available Bti formulation, for A. aegypti control in an urban setting in the USA. Droplet characteristics and spray drop deposition were evaluated in Key West, Florida, USA. The mortality of A. aegypti in containers placed under canopy in an urban environment was also evaluated. Efficacy of multiple larvicide applications on adult female A. aegypti population reduction was compared between an untreated control and treatment site.ConclusionsDroplet characteristics showed that small droplets can penetrate through dense canopy to reach small containers. VectoBac WG droplets reached small containers under heavy canopy in sufficient amounts to cause > 55% mortality on all application days and >90% mortality on 3 of 5 application days while controls had <5% mortality. Aerial applications of VectoBac WG caused significant decrease in adult female populations throughout the summer and during the 38th week (last application) the difference in adult female numbers between untreated and treated sites was >50%. Aerial larvicide applications using VectoBac WG can cover wide areas in a short period of time and can be effective in controlling A. aegypti and reducing A. aegypti-borne transmission in urban areas similar to Key West, Florida, USA.

Sublethal effects of imidacloprid on the whitefly parasitoid Ecarsia formosa Gahan

Acute toxicity of an imidacloprid-based product (Confidor 200 SL) to pupae of the whitefly parasitoid Encarsia formosa Gahan (Hymenoptera: Aphelinidae), and its effects on life history traits and population growth in F1 generation of the surviving parasitoid females of a commercial strain (?Dutch? strain, D) and two local populations from Serbia (Bujanovac, B; Negotin, N) were examined in laboratory bioassays. All trials were carried out at 27?1?C temperature and 60?10% relative humidity, and under 16/8 h daylight/darkness photoperiod in four replications. In acute toxicity bioassays, tobacco leaves carrying parasitoid pupae were treated with a series of symmetrical concentrations (800, 400, 200, 100, 50 and 25 mg a.i./l) covering a 10-90% mortality range. The product based on imidacloprid, applied directly onto parasitoid pupae at mean lethal concentrations (LC50) determined in the acute toxicity assays (30 mg/l, 20 mg/l and 25 mg/l, for populations B, N and D, respectively), significantly affected the survival of females developed from the treated pupae, extended the duration of juvenile development (by 1.81, 1.59 and 1.73 days for populations B, N and D, respectively), significantly reduced total parasitism of females D (25.92 %), total female adult emergence in populations B (27.48 %) and D (17.92 %), and significantly reduced the instantaneous rate of increased only of females N (4.23 %). Considering the high acute toxicity of the imidacloprid product to the pupal stage of E. formosa, and significant reductions in life table and population parameters, imidacloprid is not considered compatible for simultaneous use with the parasitoid E. formosa. A more precise assessment of risks involved in the use of that insecticide requires a more detailed testing in the field. The implications of these results for the concept of integrated control of the greenhouse whitefly are discussed.

Patterns of Cranial Trauma at the Akers Site (34LF32) of Southeastern Oklahoma

Previous work at Wister Valley Fourche Maline sites in southeastern Oklahoma has concluded that the area was a contested landscape with extensive feuding, resulting trophy-taking behavior, and mass burials. Preliminary paleopathological work at the Akers site (34Lf32) suggested that there may have been a high percentage of broken bones, however complete analyses had not been completed. New paleopathological work at the Akers site indicates that 35 percent of the adults buried there had at least one fractured bone at time of death. Furthermore, adult females were more likely to have lower limb fractures and multiple fractures, suggesting different patterns of stress and/or violence for at least some of the adult female population.

Female sexual function associated with the use of tension free vaginal tape for stress urinary incontinence

IntroductionFemale urinary incontinence is a common problem in middle-aged women. Up to 50% of the adult female population have stress urinary incontinence, and the prevalence of sexual dysfunction in these women is around 50%. The aim of this study is to evaluate sexual function before and after a urinary incontinence surgical procedure using tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) or transobturator tape (TOT). Material and methodsA prospective study was conducted on 22 sexually active women who underwent TVT or TOT procedures for stress urinary incontinence by assessing the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) before, and 3 and 6 months after surgery. ResultsThe study included 22 women with a mean age of 48.3±6.46 years, who underwent TVT or TOT for stress urinary incontinence. The median abdominal leak point pressure (ALPP) was 85.5±17.2cm H2O, with a median pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POPQ) of 0.28±0.45. Female sexual function assessed with the FSFI improved in all the aspects of the questionnaire. The mean total FSFI score before surgery was 21.57±3.53, at 3 months after surgery it was 26.05±3 (P=0.0001), and at 6 months post-op it was 27.28±5.03 (P=0.001). Coital incontinence improved in 90% of the participants, and 95% responded that they were satisfied with the results of the procedure. ConclusionSexual function in women who underwent TVT and TOT procedures improved considerably up to 6 months after surgery. Coital urinary incontinence improved in most of the women. Despite the evidence being variable as regards the outcomes in terms of sexual function after TVT and TOT, it is considered that these procedures substantially improve sexual function in women with stress urinary incontinence.