Sexual function in patients presenting to a urogynecology practice

Area of Science:

• Urogynecology
• Sexual Medicine
• Women's Health

Background:

• Sexual function is a crucial aspect of quality of life.
• Urogynecology patients often present with conditions impacting sexual health.
• Limited data exists on sexual function prevalence in this specific patient population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate sexual function in women referred to a urogynecology practice.
• To identify factors associated with sexual inactivity and dysfunction in this cohort.

Main Methods:

• Prospective enrollment of 450 new urogynecology patients over 6 months.
• Optional Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) questionnaire and physician interviews for data collection.
• Multivariate analysis to identify significant factors related to sexual activity and dysfunction.

Main Results:

• 54% of patients were not sexually active; common reasons included partner issues, low desire, prolapse, and pain.
• Age, marital status, and stage 1-2 prolapse were significant factors differentiating active and inactive patients.
• Among sexually active patients (n=109), 64% experienced female sexual dysfunction (FSD), with lowest scores in desire, arousal, and orgasm.

Conclusions:

• Sexual inactivity and dysfunction are prevalent in women seeking urogynecologic care.
• Reduced frequency of intercourse was significantly associated with sexual dysfunction.
• Most patients are receptive to sexual function assessment during routine urogynecologic visits.