Information Priorities for Deciding on Treatment of Pelvic Organ Prolapse

Abstract

The objective of this study was to elicit information priorities from women considering treatment for pelvic organ prolapse (POP). Study Design This is a cross-sectional study of women before and after treatment of stage II or higher POP. Women were recruited either at the conclusion of their initial evaluation (before treatment) or at postoperative or pessary maintenance visits (after treatment). Women completed a written survey that used a Likert scale to rank potentially frequently asked questions (FAQs) that could be important information to use in decision making for POP. Results Among the 100 women surveyed, 32 women wanted to pursue surgical options and 18 women wanted to pursue nonsurgical treatment options in the before treatment group. In the after treatment group, 35 women had undergone surgery and 15 women were using a pessary. Overall, women ranked FAQs about treatment success (overall Likert score, 1.11±0.35), quality of life after treatment (1.18±0.41), and complications and side effects (1.20±0.57) as the most important information when making a decision. Women were least concerned with FAQs regarding cost (2.39±1.48), impact on sexual function (2.21±1.4), and impact on hormones (2.20±1.27). Conclusions Women with POP identified the most important FAQs related to treatment success and complications, quality of life, and understanding how the treatment works. This information will be used to develop a comprehensive decision aid for women considering treatment options for POP.