(A kutatást Humán Reprodukciós Nemzeti Laboratórium RRF-2.3.1-21-2022-00012.10 számú
projekt keretében valósult meg.)
Currently, little is known about how daily self-management of cube pessaries influences
sexual function. We hypothesized that removing the cube pessary prior to sexual activity
did not negatively influence the sexual function, and pessary self-care did not lead
to a deterioration of sexual wellbeing.We conducted a planned secondary analysis of
a prospective cohort study in which 214 patients with symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse
(stage 2+) were enrolled (2015). Each patient was size fitted with a cube pessary
and completed a questionnaire online or by phone ≥ 5 years after her initial fitting.
Changes in quality of life were measured using the Patient Global Impression of Improvement
(PGI-I).Of the 143 women included in our analyses, 92 (64.3%) were sexually active
during the study period. These patients (73.9%; 68 out of 92) described their sexual
wellbeing as "better" or "much better" than their pretreatment status. Sexually active
patients had a better quality of life as measured by the PGI-I than the sexually inactive
patients. Of the sexually active patients, 91.3% (84 out of 92) described their condition
as "better" or "much better" than their pretreatment status, whereas 84.3% (43 out
of 51) of the sexually inactive patients reported the same improvement. Over 90% of
sexually active patients reported that removal of the vaginal cube pessary before
sexual activity is not disruptive.The overwhelming majority of the patients with symptomatic
pelvic organ prolapse using daily self-management of cube pessaries reported that
removal of the vaginal cube pessary before sexual activity is not disruptive, and
its use was accompanied by improved sexual wellbeing.
