Sexual activity and lower urinary tract symptoms

Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) have a profound impact on women's physical, social, and sexual well being. The LUTS are likely to affect sexual activity. Conversely, sexual activity may affect the occurrence of LUTS. The aims of the study were to elucidate to which extent LUTS affect sexual function and to which extent sexual function affect LUTS in an unselected population of middle-aged women in 1 year. A questionnaire was sent to 4,000 unselected women aged 40-60 years. All 2,284 women (57.1%) who completed a baseline questionnaire and a similar questionnaire 1-year later were included. Data comprised age, occurrence of LUTS, hormonal status, and sexual activity. A multiple conditional logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between sexual activity and LUTS adjusted for age and hormonal status. At baseline and 1-year later, 49 women (2.2%) had no sexual intercourse, and 298 women (13.0%) either ceased or resumed sexual relationship. Compared to women having sexual relationship, a statistically significant three to sixfold higher prevalence of LUTS was observed in women with no sexual relationship. In women who ceased sexual relationship an increase, although not statistically significant, in the de novo occurrence of most LUTS was observed. In women who resumed sexual relationship an insignificantly decrease in LUTS was observed. In women whose sexual activity was unchanged no change in the occurrence of LUTS was observed. Our study confirms a close association between sexual activity and the occurrence of LUTS. A hypothesis that sexual inactivity may lead to LUTS and vice versa cannot be rejected.