The impact of urinary incontinence on sexual satisfaction in postmenopausal women: A systematic review

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.

2 Professor, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Sexual and Reproductive Health Research Center, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.

3 General Physician, Student Research Committee, Faculty of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.

10.22038/ijogi.2024.79103.6050

Abstract

Introduction: Urinary incontinence (UI) is a widespread public health issue predominantly affecting adult women. This study was conducted with aim to investigate the impact of urinary incontinence on sexual satisfaction in postmenopausal women.
Methods: This systematic review study was conducted based on the PRISMA checklist. A comprehensive search was carried out in various national and international databases using standard keywords, including MESH terms and their Persian equivalents. The keywords included Urinary Incontinence, Urge, Incontinence, Stress Incontinence, Orgasm, Sexual Arousal, Sexual Function, Sexual Satisfaction, Menopause, and Postmenopause. All relevant descriptive-cross-sectional studies were selected for this research.
Results: Out of a total of 754 studies, 12 articles involving 4132 postmenopausal women were included in the investigation. The studies were predominantly descriptive-cross-sectional, with only one study classified as a clinical trial. The mean age of the participants was 56.48 ± 4.73 years. The studies examined three types of urinary incontinence: stress, urge, and mixed incontinence. All studies emphasized that postmenopausal women with urinary incontinence experienced lower sexual function and satisfaction. Some studies indicated that the type of urinary incontinence could have a greater impact on sexual function and satisfaction. Three studies stated that stress incontinence reduced sexual desire, while four studies linked mixed incontinence to the most significant impact on sexual dysfunction. One study found that only stress incontinence had a significant relationship with sexual function.
Conclusion: The most prevalent types of incontinence were urge, stress, and mixed incontinence, respectively. Most articles (four studies) indicated that mixed incontinence has a more significant effect on sexual dysfunction. However, one study found no correlation between mixed incontinence and sexual dysfunction. Further research in this area is recommended.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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The Iranian Journal of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Infertility
Volume 27, Issue 11
January 2025
Pages 62-73

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