ArticleDiseases of the colon and rectum2012
Fecal incontinence decreases sexual quality of life, but does not prevent sexual activity in women.
Article in Diseases of the colon and rectum, 2012. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 19 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
19 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 50 citations in OpenAlex.
- Sacral neuromodulation and sexual function: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature.International urogynecology journal · 2019Pooled it
- The socioeconomic burden of pelvic floor disorders.Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica · 2026Review
- Introducing a Clinical Practice Guideline in Physiotherapy to Address Sexuality in Adults with a Neuromuscular Disorder.Physiotherapy Canada. Physiotherapie Canada · 2024Article
- Pelvic floor disorders and impact on sexual function: a cross-sectional study among non-sexually active and sexually active women.Sexual medicine · 2024Article
- Female sexual dysfunction in urinary and double incontinence.Saudi medical journal · 2024Article
- Sexual health and wellbeing among female pelvic cancer survivors following individualized interventions in a nurse-led clinic.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2022Article
- Female Sexual Dysfunctions and Urogynecological Complaints: A Narrative Review.Medicina (Kaunas, Lithuania) · 2022Review
- Long-term results of dynamic graciloplasty for severe fecal incontinence.Techniques in coloproctology · 2021Article
- The severity of symptoms is insufficient to predict major alterations to quality of life of patients with fecal incontinence or chronic constipation.International journal of colorectal disease · 2020Article
- A review of the effect of faecal incontinence and constipation on sexual function.International journal of colorectal disease · 2019Review
- Supervised pelvic floor muscle training versus attention-control massage treatment in patients with faecal incontinence: Statistical analysis plan for a randomised controlled trial.Contemporary clinical trials communications · 2017Article
- Long term effect of vaginal delivery and cesarean section on female sexual function in primipara mothers.Electronic physician · 2017Article
- Fecal Incontinence: Epidemiology, Impact, and Treatment.Clinics in colon and rectal surgery · 2016Article
- Anal Intercourse and Fecal Incontinence: Evidence from the 2009-2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.The American journal of gastroenterology · 2016Article
- Sexual function in women with anal incontinence using a new instrument: the PISQ-IR.International urogynecology journal · 2015Article
- Impact of fecal incontinence and its treatment on quality of life in women.Women's health (London, England) · 2015Review
- Written versus oral disclosure of fecal and urinary incontinence in women with dual incontinence.International urogynecology journal · 2014Article
- Childbirth and female sexual function later in life.Obstetrics and gynecology · 2013Article
- The association between fecal incontinence and sexual activity and function in women attending a tertiary referral center.International urogynecology journal · 2013Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundThe impact of anal incontinence on women's sexual function is poorly understood.
objectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between anal incontinence and sexual activity and functioning in women.
designThis is a cross-sectional study. SETTINGS: This investigation was conducted in a community-based integrated health care delivery system. PATIENTS: Included were 2269 ethnically diverse women aged 40 to 80 years.
main outcome measuresSelf-administered questionnaires assessed accidental leakage of gas (flatal incontinence) and fluid/mucus/stool (fecal incontinence) in the past 3 months. Additional questionnaires assessed sexual activity, desire and satisfaction, as well as specific sexual problems (difficulty with arousal, lubrication, orgasm, or pain). Multivariable logistic regression models compared sexual function in women with 1) isolated flatal incontinence, 2) fecal incontinence (with or without flatal incontinence), and 3) no fecal/flatal incontinence, controlling for potential confounders.
resultsTwenty-four percent of women reported fecal incontinence and 43% reported isolated flatal incontinence in the previous 3 months. The majority were sexually active (62% of women without fecal/flatal incontinence, 66% with isolated flatal incontinence, and 60% with fecal incontinence; p = 0.06). In comparison with women without fecal/flatal incontinence, women with fecal incontinence were more likely to report low sexual desire (OR: 1.41 (CI: 1.10-1.82)), low sexual satisfaction (OR: 1.56 (CI: 1.14-2.12)), and limitation of sexual activity by physical health (OR: 1.65 (CI: 1.19-2.28)) after adjustment for confounders. Among sexually active women, women with fecal incontinence were more likely than women without fecal/flatal incontinence to report difficulties with lubrication (OR: 2.66 (CI: 1.76-4.00)), pain (OR: 2.44 (CI: 1.52-3.91)), and orgasm (OR: 1.68 (CI: 1.12-2.51)). Women with isolated flatal incontinence reported sexual functioning similar to women without fecal/flatal incontinence. LIMITATIONS: The cross-sectional design prevented evaluation of causality.
conclusionsAlthough most women with fecal incontinence are at high risk for several aspects of sexual dysfunction, the presence of fecal incontinence does not prevent women from engaging in sexual activity. This indicates that sexual function is important to women with anal incontinence and should be prioritized during therapeutic management.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.