From Deseret News archives:

U. researchers find pelvic floor problems common

Published: Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2008 8:26 p.m. MDT
 |  E-MAIL | PRINT | FONT + - 
Pelvic-floor disorders, including incontinence and prolapse, are "exceedingly common" among women. And the incidence increases with age and weight gain, according to a University of Utah study in the Journal of the American Medical Association published this week.

Nearly one-fourth of women surveyed and more than one-third of older women say they have at least one pelvic floor disorder, according to the researchers, led by Dr. Ingrid Nygaard of the U. School of Medicine. Nygaard is a professor of urogynecology and pelvic reconstructive surgery. Pelvic disorders include urinary and bowel incontinence, voiding problems and others related to the urological and gynecologic system.

It's a common set of problems that doesn't get discussed and often goes undiagnosed, according to Nygaard. Women know something's wrong, but because of the nature of the problem and reluctance to say anything, fears don't get addressed. A woman may worry that something's going to fall out or that she has cancer or that she's the only one experiencing what is genuinely both common and correctable.

"Nobody should suffer in silence," Nygaard said.

Story continues below
Pelvic floor disorders involve bladder, uterus, rectum or vagina. They can be treated with various tools, including behavioral therapy, medication or surgery, Nygaard said. But women are reluctant to talk about them, much less seek help. And most women have no idea how common the disorders are.

Nygaard and her colleagues looked back at responses of 1,961 nonpregnant women, 20 or older, who had participated in the 2005-2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They were interviewed at home and then had standardized physical examinations.

Overall, 23.7 percent said they had at least one pelvic floor disorder: 15.7 percent urinary incontinence, 9 percent fecal incontinence and 2.9 percent symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse. As the women got older, the numbers went up, starting with 9.7 percent overall in women age 20 to 39 years and increasing to 26.5 percent in women age 40 to 59 years, 36.8 percent in women age 60 to 79 years and 49.7 percent in women age 80 years or older.

Women who were overweight or obese were more likely to have at least one pelvic floor disorders. Prevalence in normal or underweight women was 15.1 percent, but it rose to 26.3 percent for overweight and 30.4 percent for obese women. The number of children a woman had given birth to also increased the likelihood. The researchers did not find a link to race/ethnicity or education level.

Recent comments

I can't believe they needed to do a study on this subject. Lots of...

Anonymous | Sept. 22, 2008 at 5:46 p.m.

Good to know that medicare may not cover it. I have bowel leakage...

there now | Sept. 17, 2008 at 9:05 a.m.

Don't do surgery without more research! Read "A Headache in the...

Been there | Sept. 17, 2008 at 1:09 a.m.

previousnext

Latest comments

Does the LDS Church support "Everything-But-Marriage" as in Washington?? ...

I have never understood this. The LDS church does not want to support...

now how about the rights for "beastialitist", "transvestites", "polygamists"...

Letters: Cougars weren't angels

...is where were the officials while all this garbage was going on? They are...

12 Utes return to Texas

but TCU's defense will score more than your offense. I admire the Utes...

SLC council OKs gay rights policies

The church recognizes these things as an obvious right of all people, will...

Good form Mr. Menlove and Mr. Witt, good form.

Wyoming writer amazed by BYU

We beat a team that gave up. We beat a team we always beat. We beat a...

for those of us who don't follow BYU sports in general and especially not...

Who knew Hasan's radical contacts

This guy was NOT a nice man who "snapped". He was an Islamic Extremist. A...

Advertisements
Advertisement