Overactive bladder and female sexual dysfunction: evaluation by the fsfi and psychosocial effects on quality of life

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the impact of Overactive Bladder Syndrome (OAB) on female sexuality through a literature review. OAB is a clinical condition defined by the presence of urinary urgency, often accompanied by increased frequency and nocturia, with or without urgency urinary incontinence, excluding urinary tract infection or other obvious pathology. It is a highly prevalent chronic condition, affecting between 12.8% and 31.3% of adult women, with an estimated prevalence of 16.6% in the European population and 16.9% in the United States. Female sexual health is an essential component of quality of life, encompassing somatic, emotional, intellectual, and social aspects, with Female Sexual Dysfunction (FSD) affecting approximately 43% of women in the United States, low desire being the most frequent complaint. Several studies have shown that women with OAB have significantly impaired sexual function compared to healthy controls, with markedly lower scores on the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) across all domains (desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction, and pain). Factors such as fear of leakage and unpredictability of urgency contribute to anxiety and loss of self-confidence, leading to low sexual frequency. OAB treatment, including pharmacotherapy, pelvic floor muscle training, and minimally invasive procedures, generally improves sexual function without significant adverse effects. Thus, OAB constitfactorsn independent risk factor for FSD, and proactive evaluation of patients’ sexual health should be part of clinical management to optimize quality of life.