Change of sexual function after midurethral sling procedure for stress urinary incontinence

Objectives:   To compare sexual function in women before and after the midurethral sling procedure for stress urinary incontinence (SUI).
Methods:   A total of 75 women undergoing surgery for SUI between September 2005 and September 2006 were recruited for this study. Those who completed the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively were included in the analysis. The FSFI is a validated, 19-item questionnaire, which assesses six domains of sexual function, including desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain.
Results:   Data were analyzed for 47 patients. Overall sexual function after the midurethral sling procedure was not significantly different. There were no significant differences in overall sexual function or any of the individual FSFI domain scores between patients with and without concomitant posterior colporrhaphy. There were no significant differences in sexual function between the transobturator and the retropubic surgical routes.
Conclusions:   There is no significant change in overall sexual function in women undergoing the midurethral sling procedure. Posterior colporrhaphy and operative methods do not affect overall sexual function.