Dyspareunia is a sexual dysfunction defined as genital pain experienced before, during, or after sexual intercourse. Pain during intercourse is a difficult clinical problem and one of the commonest complaints in gynecological practice. The causes of dyspareunia may be classified as organic, emotional, and psychological. Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) has been considered a cause of dyspareunia and sexual dysfunction may be affected positively or negatively by surgical treatment of prolapse. In this paper, the authors review the de novo dyspareunia after POP surgery. They conclude that the incidence of de novo dyspareunia was higher in series with vaginal repair with synthetic mesh than in abdominal sacropexy.Keywords Pelvic organ prolapse . De novo dyspareunia . Surgery
Dyspareunia and pelvic floor disordersDyspareunia is a sexual dysfunction defined as genital pain experienced before, during, or after sexual intercourse [1]. Some investigations support the consideration of dyspareunia as pain disorders that interfere with sexuality, rather than as sexual disorders characterized by pain [2].Pain during intercourse is a difficult clinical problem and one of the commonest complaints in gynecological practice.In a review of 18 high-quality studies with representative samples of women with coital sexual activity, the prevalence of dyspareunia was reported to be between 8% and 21% [3].Pelvic floor disorders (PFD) include pelvic organ prolapse (POP), urinary incontinence (UI), anal incontinence (AI), and other sensory and emptying abnormalities of the lower urinary and gastrointestinal tracts. According to the first nationwide population-based survey assessing the prevalence of the three major symptomatic PFD in US women, the prevalence of at least one pelvic floor disorder is 23.7%, with 15.7% of women (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.2-18.2%) with symptoms of UI, 9.0% of women (95% CI, 7.3-10.7%) experiencing fecal incontinence (FI), and 2.9% of women (95% CI, 2.1-3.7%) with a POP [4].Pauls et al.[5] studied all new patients with PFD referred to a urogynecology practice with the objective of evaluating sexual function. Over 6 months, 450 new patients were enrolled; sexual activity and function were evaluated by a sexual questionnaire and female sexual function index (FSFI) and sexual function information were obtained during the physician interview. Two hundred forty-three (54%) of the 460 women included were not sexually active. They estimate a prevalence of sexual complaints in 64% of sexually active women. In this population in which pelvic support problems occur, sexual changes due to lack of support of pelvic organs are often added to the genital changes for aging (the atrophy) and also to the erectile difficulties in the partners.In a cohort of community-dwelling women who were enrolled in a managed healthcare plan, it was demonstrated that PFDs do not independently affect sexual activity or satisfaction. Women with POP, AI, or any ≥1 PFD, although less likely to be sexually active, had rates of sexual activity eq...