Correlates of vaginal laxity symptoms in women attending a urogynecology clinic in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of vaginal laxity (VL) and its correlates in a cohort of women attending a urogynecology clinic in a tertiary referral center in Saudi Arabia. Methods: In this retrospective study, demographic information, clinical characteristics, and POP-Q system measurements for women attending the King Fahad Medical City Urogynecology Clinic (January 2013 to April 2015) were analyzed. Women with and without VL were compared across these variables. Results: Out of 376 women attending the clinic for various reasons, 135 (35.9%) reported VL. VL was more common in younger women (P<0.001). Parity, menopausal status, and diabetes were not associated with this symptom. A history of cesarean delivery was protective (aOR 0.39; 95% CI, 0.17–0.90). A bulge symptom and “vaginal wind” were predictors (aOR 3.25; 95% CI, 1.46–7.23 and aOR 15.48; 95% CI, 6.93–34.56, respectively). There was no correlation between VL and POP-Q measurements. VL was not associated with the presence of clinically significant prolapse (stage 2–4), compared with nonsignificant prolapse (stage 0–1) (P=0.869, P=0.152, and P=0.783 for anterior, posterior, and central vaginal compartment, respectively). Conclusions: In this cohort, VL was common, more prevalent in younger women, and had poorly defined clinical correlates.