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Sexual function and vaginal surgery
Author(s) -
Neill Caithlin,
AbdelFattah Mohamed,
Ramsay Ian N
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
the obstetrician and gynaecologist
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1744-4667
pISSN - 1467-2561
DOI - 10.1576/toag.11.3.193.27504
Subject(s) - sexual function , affect (linguistics) , medicine , sexual dysfunction , gynecology , general surgery , psychology , psychiatry , communication
• Female sexual function is increasingly used as an outcome measure of the success of vaginal surgery. • Most women without coital incontinence will have no change in sexual function following anti‐incontinence surgery, although overall there may be a slight improvement. • If coital incontinence is cured by surgery, the woman is very likely to report an improvement in sexual function. • The majority of studies of pelvic organ prolapse repair show no change in subsequent sexual function. • Worsening of sexual function is most likely to follow posterior repair.Learning objectives:• To understand how female sexual function can be assessed. • To understand how surgery for incontinence and/or prolapse is likely to affect sexual function. • To be willing and better able to discuss sexual function with women before surgery.Ethical issue:• As surgery can adversely affect sexual function, is it unethical to fail to discuss this sensitive area preoperatively?Please cite this article as: Neill C, Abdel‐Fattah M, Ramsay IN. Sexual function and vaginal surgery. The Obstetrician & Gynaecologist 2009;11:193–198.