Do female urinary incontinence subtypes have different effects on the sexual life of couples?

Abstract

Female urine incontinence (UI) has negative impact on couple’s sexual life. The aim of this study was to assess sexual function of females and their partners in the presence of female UI and identifying the effect of different types of UI on variable sexual domains. This is a comparative cross-sectional study, where 75 sexually active females with UI (patients’ group) and 75 age and gender healthy volunteers serving as a control group were enrolled in this study. After urodynamic evaluation, incontinent patients were subdivided into three groups urgent (UUI), stress (SUI), and mixed (MUI). Female Function Index Questionnaire was filled out by all participants and International Index of Erectile Function was filled out by their partners. This study showed that UI in females has a negative impact of sexual life of couples. UUI was related to orgasmic dysfunction and dissatisfaction in females, while their partners suffered from less sexual functions in all sexual domains except in erectile function domain which was more noted in partners of women with SUI. Lubrication was dramatically decreased in SUI group. We concluded that different types of female UI have different impact on sexual domains of females and their partners.

Keywords:

• Female urinary incontinence
• female sexual function
• stress urinary incontinence
• urgent urinary incontinence
• mixed urinary incontinence

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to our patients and their partners as well as to Dr. Ahmed Abdel Wahab (Prof Dr. of Dermatology and Andrology, Benha University) and Dr. Eman Saed (Dr. of Dermatology and Andrology) as this work would have never been possible without their cooperation.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

S. H. Abdel Rahman

S. H. Abdel Rahman is an Assistant Professor of dermatology, Andrology and Venerology, Benha University, Cairo, Egypt. Her research interests include female sexuality and acne. Her recent publications are Sex Dreams in Married Women: Prevalence, Frequency, Content, and Drives. Dreaming, 27(3), 251–259 and Impact of low ghrelin level in patients with postadolescent acne. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology 2019; 1–5.

A. Abou Taleb

A. Abou Taleb is the Assistant Professor of Urology, Benha University, Cairo, Egypt. He is interested in urology, endourology and andrology. His recent publications are Efficacy of silodosin on the outcome of semi-rigid ureteroscopy for the management of large distal ureteric stones: blinded, randomized trial. Arab Journal of Urology 2018;16(4):422–428.

A. M. Abou Zeid

A. M. Abou Zeid is the A.M. Head of Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, El Mataryia Hospital, Cairo, Egypt. He is interested in ART and infertility. His recent publications are Evaluation of prognostic parameters in poor respondent undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The Medical Journal of Teaching Hospitals & Institutes, 2013; 59:109–112.

R. S. Eldesouky

R. S. Eldesouky is the Assistant Professor of Community Medicine Department, Benha University, Cairo, Egypt. She is interested in maternal and child health, medical statistics and infection control. Her recent publication is Screening of malnutrition & its correlates among a sample of rural elderly in Qalyobeya Governorate, Egypt. Journal of Egyptian Public health Association 2018;92(93).