Women who suffer from urinary incontinence often complain of sexual disfunction. Nearly 25-50% of women who consult their doctor regarding incontinence mention issues in their sex life, when replying to the right questions.

The most frequent complaints regard reduced libido, inability to reach orgasm, and, lastly, painful intercourse.

When asked how incontinence has affected their sex life, over 50% of women suffering from urinary incontinence replied that incontinence has led them to significantly reduce the frequency of intercourse.

Various studies also noted that women suffering from urinary incontinence due to an overactive bladder experienced sexual dysfunction problems more often than women suffering from stress urinary incontinence.

In order to assess the impact of urinary incontinence on sexuality, doctors use special questionnaires which examine libido, arousal, vaginal lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and, lastly, pain.

Urinary incontinence in women during intercourse and especially during orgasm is a special case.

This situation may be subdivided in two categories. In the first category, the urinary incontinence episode takes place at the time of penetration of the vagina by the penis and is usually a case of stress incontinence; with regard to the second category, incontinence during or immediately following orgasm, urodynamic studies have shown that the main pathogenic mechanism is the contraction of the detrusor muscle of the bladder.

Discussing the issue with an urologist or uro-gynaecologist may have excellent results in countering incontinence in 80% of women who undergo surgery for the first case and 60% of women who are administered the appropriate medication in the second category, greatly improving their sex life.

Urinary incontinence during intercourse is a significant and particular issue. It has been reported that 25% of women suffering from urinary incontinence may experience loss of urine during intercourse, thereafter avoiding any sexual activity.

One clever way of dealing with the issue is for the women to have urinated immediately before intercourse and, should that not suffice, to discuss the problem with their gynaecologist or with a urologist.

Kindly contributed by Urologist – Andrologist Surgeon, Dr Charalambos P. Asvestis