Sexual life in women after colectomy-proctomucosectomy with S-pouch

In a consecutive series, 30 women were interviewed and gynecologically examined after pelvic pouch operation because of inflammatory bowel disease. The examination displayed: colpitis in two, bacterial vaginosis in one and cervical cancer in situ in one of the women. Unwanted infertility was reported by five women, probably due to female factors in three. Sixteen women had felt sexually unattractive by the temporary ileostomy. At follow-up, after closure of the ileostomy, 23 women experienced a considerable sexual desire, 28 could experience orgasm and 20 nearly always had orgasm at intercourse. Insufficient vaginal lubrication during intercourse was reported by seven women. This could be explained by hormonal or other factors in four women and might be owing to side-effects of the operation in three. Four women reported slight deep dyspareunia and one superficial dyspareunia. The result indicated a low frequency of sexual problems after pelvic pouch operation.