The effect of tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) procedure on sexual function in women with stress urinary incontinence.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) on sexual function in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) by questionnaire. Thirty-two sexually active and married women who were planned for TVT to treat SUI constituted the patient group, and 25 women who were healthy, sexually active and married, were selected as the control group; the ages of both groups matched. Sexual functions (desire, arousal, orgasm, pain and satisfaction) were evaluated with the Index of Female Sexual Function (IFSF), and continence status during sexual intercourse was asked about both preoperatively and postoperatively in the 6th month. The mean domain scores of sexual functions such as desire, arousal, orgasm, pain and overall satisfaction preoperatively and postoperatively were 3.37+/-0.69, 3.82+/-0.62, 3.40+/-0.95, 3.41+/-0.98, 3.16+/-1.09 and 3.32+/-0.79, 3.71+/-0.53, 3.06+/-1.04, 2.75+/-1.29, 2.88+/-0.63, respectively, and postoperative scores insignificantly decreased. Also, these scores in the control group were 3.64+/-0.66, 3.96+/-0.73, 4.12+/-0.78, 3.96+/-1.14 and 3.68+/-0.92. In comparison with the control group, whereas all of the preoperative domain scores were found to be decreased but were statistically insignificant except orgasmic function, postoperative scores significantly worsened, except for desire and arousal. However, preoperatively nine patients explained that they had incontinence during sexual intercourse, and this problem persisted in two postoperatively ( p = 0.043). This study shows that both SUI and the TVT procedure negatively affect sexual function in women.