Objective: To evaluate status of female pelvic floor function and sexual life after total hysterectomy.
Methods: From March 2001 to January 2004, 92 patients with undergoing hysterectomy due to benign gynecological diseases were enrolled in this study. They were followed up at outpatient department, including pelvic examination, filling in female sexual quality questionnaire, pelvic floor distress inventory short form 20 (PFDI-20), pelvic floor distress impact questionnaire short form 7 (PFIQ-7) and quality of sexual life of chinese women questionnaire.
Results: At 6 years after total hysterectomy, it was observed that 7 cases (7/92, 7.6%) were pelvic organ prolapse and 62 cases (62/92, 67.4%) were urinary incontinence. A median score of PFDI-20 were 4.67. A median score of PFIQ-7 were 0. Symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction concentrated in lower urinary tract (58 cases with cough leak, 32 cases with spot urine leakage, 31 cases with frequent micturition, 24 cases with urgent urination)and bowel symptoms (26 cases with constipation, 24 cases with defecation urgency, 21 cases without fully drained stool). In the 68 patients filling in female sexual quality questionnaire, an average score were (127 ± 20) points. Female sexual quality questionnaire score, sexual satisfaction, sexual communication and adjustment, sexual response and sexual body image were positively correlated with the patients' income (r = 0.432, P = 0.007; r = 0.356, P = 0.028; r = 0.475, P = 0.003; r = 0.421, P = 0.009; r = 0.324, P = 0.047).
Conclusions: Hysterectomy may have long-term effect on female pelvic floor function and sexual life. Quality of sexual life in those patients was positively correlated with income.