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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.
Sexual activity and function generally improve after pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery. Dyspareunia decreases, and sexual function does not worsen with any POP surgery type, aiding preoperative patient counseling.
Area of Science:
- Urogynecology
- Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery
Background:
- Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) significantly impacts women's quality of life, including sexual function.
- Understanding sexual outcomes after reconstructive POP surgery is crucial for patient counseling and treatment decisions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review and describe sexual activity and function before and after various types of reconstructive pelvic organ prolapse surgeries.
Main Methods:
- A comprehensive literature search was conducted across MEDLINE, EMBASE, and ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Included were prospective, comparative studies reporting sexual function outcomes post-POP surgery.
- Data extracted included baseline/postoperative sexual activity, dyspareunia, and validated questionnaire scores.
Main Results:
- Sexual activity rates were higher postoperatively for most POP surgeries.
- Dyspareunia prevalence decreased across all POP surgery types.
- Sexual function, assessed by PISQ-12 scores, improved for several repair types and did not worsen for any.
Conclusions:
- Reconstructive POP surgeries generally lead to improved or unchanged sexual function.
- Dyspareunia rates decrease post-surgery, with low incidence of de novo dyspareunia.
- Findings support improved preoperative counseling for patients undergoing POP surgery.
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