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Changes in Sexual Activity and Function After Pelvic Organ Prolapse Surgery: A Systematic Review
Danielle D Antosh1, Shunaha Kim-Fine, Kate V Meriwether
1Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, Texas, the University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System, Salinas, California, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, the University of Florida, Jacksonville, Florida, UT Health, San Antonio, Texas, HCA/UCF Consortium, Gainesville, Florida, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, and Albany Medical Center, Albany, New York; the Center for Evidence Synthesis in Health, Brown University School of Public Health, Providence, Rhode Island; and the Department of Women's Health, University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School, Austin, Texas.
Objective:
We aimed to systematically review the literature to describe sexual activity and function before and after prolapse surgery.
Data Sources:
We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases from inception to April 2018.
Methods Of Study Selection:
Prospective, comparative studies of reconstructive pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgeries that reported sexual function outcomes were included. Studies were extracted for population characteristics, sexual function outcomes, and methodologic quality. Data collected included baseline and postoperative sexual activity, dyspareunia, and validated sexual function questionnaire scores. Change in validated scores were used to categorize overall sexual function as improved, unchanged, or worsened after surgery.
Tabulation, Integration, And Results:
The search revealed 3,124 abstracts and identified 74 articles representing 67 original studies. The overall quality of evidence was moderate to high. Studies reporting postoperative results found higher rates of sexual activity than studies reporting preoperative sexual activity in all POP surgeries except sacrospinous suspension, transvaginal mesh, and sacrocolpopexy. The prevalence of dyspareunia decreased after all prolapse surgery types. The risk of de novo dyspareunia ranged from 0% to 9% for all POP surgeries except posterior repair, which lacked sufficient data. Overall sexual function based on PISQ-12 (Pelvic Organ Prolapse/Incontinence Sexual Questionnaire-12) scores improved for mixed native tissue repairs, anterior repairs, uterosacral suspensions, sacrospinous suspensions, and sacrocolpopexy; scores were similar for posterior repairs, transvaginal mesh, and biologic grafts. Sexual function did not worsen after any POP surgeries.
Conclusion:
Sexual function improves or remains unchanged after all types of reconstructive POP surgeries and does not worsen for any surgery type. Prevalence of total dyspareunia was lower after all POP surgery types, and de novo dyspareunia was low ranging 0-9%. This information can help surgeons counsel patients preoperatively.
Systematic Review Registration:
PROSPERO, CRD42019124308.
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