Effects of inflammatory bowel diseases on sexual function in women

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic disease that includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Studies found that 40-60% of women diagnosed with IBD have sexual dysfunction (SD).

To determine SD and associated factors in women with IBD.

Female patients diagnosed with IBD in the Gastroenterology Department who volunteered and healthy volunteers who were examined by a general practitioner were included in the study as the control group. After appropriate training was provided by the researcher, patients and volunteers were asked to fill out the Clinical and Sociodemographic Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale and Female Sexual Function Index.

There were 255 patients in the patient group and 240 patients in the control group. The mean ages of the patient and control groups were 40 ± 12 and 38 ± 11 years, respectively. Mean disease duration in IBD patients was 9 ± 5.6 years. The SD rate in the patient group (63.5%) was higher than in the control group (23.8%) (p < 0.01). The prevalence of SD was significantly lower in mildly active IBD patients than in moderate and severe IBD patients (p < 0.05). Active disease (OR: 3.82), active perianal disease (OR: 2.15), and severe depression (OR: 3.19) were predictive factors for SD in univariate logistic regression analysis. Previous abdominal surgery was found to be predictive for SD in multivariate analysis (OR: 5.13).

The prevalence of SD was high in female IBD patients and its prevalence increased as disease activity increased. History of abdominal surgery in IBD was found to be associated with SD.