Project 424540

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is a medical condition in females where pelvic organs, such as the uterus or intestines, fall out of normal position and press into the vagina. POP will affect up to half of Canadian women in their lifetime, usually in relation pregnancy and childbirth. Affected women often experience urine leakage, physical discomfort, embarrassment, and decreased quality of life. Surgery to correct POP is common, with 1 in 5 North American women undergoing a surgery for this reason in their lifetime. There is a need for more research regarding how surgery for POP affects female sexuality, chronic pain and use of opioids in the short term and long term. Both Canadian patients and health care providers have indicated these should be research priorities. Our study will enroll women having surgery at the Pelvic Floor Clinic in Calgary and follow them for 1 year with questionnaires about sexuality, quality of life and pain. A smaller sample will be interviewed about sexuality. Administrative data routinely collected by Alberta Health regarding prescription medication will be used to examine use of opioid medications. As the Canadian population ages, the number of women with POP is expected to increase and research on POP surgery is needed to both guide decision-making and inform women regarding what they should anticipate following POP surgery. Our study will address these needs, and will provide women with POP and their care providers with trusted information.