Pelvic organ prolapse, self-image and acceptance

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a very common disorder among women. Studies show
that patients with POP report sexual dysfunction. A study shows that genital
self-image is associated with sexual dysfunction. POP directly involves the
female genitals and is likely to affect sexual identity. This may become a
threat to the sense of the self-concept, which may explain women*s fear and
negative experiences in sex. Despite its heuristic and clinical significance,
the sexual self-concept has received little research attention so far. It is
plausible to assume that not only POP, but also other chronic disease
influences the self-image and sexual functioning, therefore we want to
determine whether the sexual self-concept in relation to sexual function and
sexual experiences is specific to POP, or rather determined by general factors
related to being chronically ill. It is known that men with diabetes Mellitus
(DM) suffer from sexual dysfunction, the sexual function of women with DM on
the other hand is less known. The aim of this study is to determine whether and
to which extent the pelvic organ prolapse is associated with poor sexual
function in heterosexual couples and assess if it is comparable to patients
with diabetes mellitus when compared to healthy controls.

Primary Objective:
1. To determine if and in what way the pelvic organ prolapse influences the
sexual function and the self-image of the patient
2. To compare the POP group and the control group on level of sexual function
and (sexual) self-concept and to determine whether potential differences are
specific to the POP group or can be attributed to disease awareness by
comparing the sexual function and (sexual) self-concept between patients with
POP and controls and compare the results to differences between patients with
diabetes mellitus type 2 and controls.

Secondary Objectives:
1. To determine the level of agreement between the self-concept of the female
participant and the self-concept as perceived by the partner
2. To determine whether level of agreement between female participant and
partner is associated with quality of life, relationship and sexual outcomes.
3. To determine whether the quality of life is related to the symptoms of
pelvic organ prolapse or chronic disease.
4. To compare the self-image of the women with the self-image of their partners
5. To compare the quality of life of the partner of the chronic disease group
with the quality of life of the partner of the healthy control group

This study is a cross-sectional, observational study in patients and their
partners with POP, diabetes mellitus type 2, and healthy controls.

not applicable