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Prevalence and degree of bother from pelvic floor disorders in obese women

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Abstract

We aimed to determine the prevalence and bother from pelvic floor disorders (PFD) by obesity severity, hypothesizing that both would increase with higher degrees of obesity. We performed a secondary analysis of 1,155 females enrolled in an epidemiologic study that used a validated questionnaire to identify PFD. Prevalence and degree of bother were compared across three obesity groups. Logistic regression assessed the contribution of degree of obesity to the odds of having PFD. Prevalence of any PFD was highest in morbidly (57%) and severely (53%) obese compared to obese women (44%). Regression models demonstrated higher prevalence of pelvic organ prolapse, overactive bladder, stress urinary incontinence, and any PFD in morbidly compared to obese women and higher prevalence of stress urinary incontinence in severely obese compared to obese women. Degree of bother did not vary by degree of obesity. Prevalence of PFD increases with higher degrees of obesity.

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Abbreviations

POP:

pelvic organ prolapse

SUI:

stress urinary incontinence

OAB:

overactive bladder

AI:

anal incontinence

PFD:

pelvic floor disorders

BMI:

body mass index

KP CARES:

Kaiser Permanente Continence-Associated Risk Epidemiology Study

EPIQ:

Epidemiology of Prolapse and Incontinence Questionnaire

VAS:

visual analog scale

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Funding

NICHD #R01 HD4113-01A1

Conflicts of interest

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, Department of Reproductive Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA

    Emily L. Whitcomb, Emily S. Lukacz & Charles W. Nager

  2. Department of Research and Evaluation, Kaiser Permanente Southern California, 100 S. Los Robles, 2nd Floor, Pasadena, CA, 91101, USA

    Jean M. Lawrence

  3. Department of Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery, Kaiser Permanente San Diego Medical Center, 4647 Zion Ave., San Diego, CA, 92120, USA

    Karl M. Luber

  4. 9350 Campus Point Drive, #0974, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA

    Emily L. Whitcomb, Emily S. Lukacz & Charles W. Nager

Authors
  1. Emily L. Whitcomb
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  2. Emily S. Lukacz
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  3. Jean M. Lawrence
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  4. Charles W. Nager
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  5. Karl M. Luber
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Correspondence to Emily S. Lukacz.

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Whitcomb, E.L., Lukacz, E.S., Lawrence, J.M. et al. Prevalence and degree of bother from pelvic floor disorders in obese women. Int Urogynecol J 20, 289–294 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-008-0765-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-008-0765-x

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