Prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction in women in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A cross-sectional study
Open accessAbstract
Objective: Pelvic floor dysfunction has a high prevalence among women worldwide. However, in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, it is underreported. Thus, we aimed to estimate the prevalence and risk factors of pelvic floor dysfunction in women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study on literate non-pregnant women aged ⩾18 years who agreed to participate in our survey. We used the validated and translated Australian pelvic floor questionnaire and conducted a multivariate logistic regression analysis to assess the risk factors of pelvic floor dysfunction. Results: A total of 824 participants completed the questionnaire. While 60.2% of the participants had pelvic floor dysfunction, 67.7% reported signs of bowel dysfunction. Urinary dysfunction, prolapse, and sexual dysfunction were present in 44.1%, 67.7%, and 55.4% of the participants, respectively. Age, high body mass index, chronic medical illness, heavy weight lifting, and multiparity were found as the risk factors of bladder function problems. Meanwhile, chronic medical illness, heavy weight lifting, and multiparity were found as the risk factors of bowel dysfunction and prolapse. Age group and marital status were the independent factors associated with sexual dysfunction. Conclusion: We noted a high rate of pelvic floor dysfunction in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which calls for the need to provide holistic approaches for the prevention and management of pelvic floor dysfunction among women.
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These findings contrast with previous observational studies that reported higher mesh exposure rates when total hysterectomy or vaginal mesh procedures were included.
“These findings contrast with previous observational studies that reported higher mesh exposure rates when total hysterectomy or vaginal mesh procedures were included [15–24, 29].”
From Perioperative complications of laparoscopic sacrohysteropexy versus sacrocolpopexy with subtotal hysterectomy for pelvic organ prolapse (2026) · cites this paper as [22]
The Results sections report pelvic floor dysfunction and prolapse symptoms, not mesh exposure rates. A search of our full-text copy for mesh exposure, total hysterectomy, and vaginal mesh procedures found no passage addressing the claimed comparison; page numbers were unavailable. (LLM, conf=0.77)
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“In Saudi Arabia, the prevalence of POP is relatively high, with 23.4% of Saudi women experiencing symptoms [7, 22].”
Influential
- Authors
- Malaekah, H., Al Medbel, H. S., Al Mowallad, S., Al Asiri, Z., Albadrani, A., & Abdullah, H.
- Affiliations
- Soliman Fakeeh Hospital (SA)
- General Surgery Department, King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz University Hospital, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University (SA)
- Corresponding author
- Malaekah, Haifaa
- Venue
- Women's Health
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2022-01
- Volume
- 18
- Pages
- 17455065211072252-17455065211072252
- ISSN
- 1745-5057 (ISSN-L)
- 1745-5065
- PMC
- PMC8811438
- OpenAlex
- W4210560729
- Cited by
- 30
- References
- 71
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 2
- FWCI
- 4.37
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Women s Health (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Rheumatology › Pelvic floor disorders treatments
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Sexual function and dysfunction studies
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Urology › Urinary Bladder and Prostate Research
- Keywords
- pelvic floor dysfunction, prevalence, risk factors, women, urinary dysfunction, bowel dysfunction, pelvic organ prolapse, sexual dysfunction, body mass index, multiparity, heavy weight lifting, chronic disease, Saudi Arabia
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Australia, Cross-Sectional Studies, Fecal Incontinence, Female, Humans, Surveys and Questionnaires, Saudi Arabia, Urinary Incontinence, Prevalence, Pelvic Floor, Pelvic Floor Disorders
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