9.2: Prevalence

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i) FSD

According to the National Health and Social Life Survey FSD is common, with a prevalence of 43% in women between the ages of 18 and 54 years. Lack of desire is the most common category with 32% of patients describing this as reason for their dysfunctional sex lives. (Figure 1)

Figure \(\PageIndex{1}\): Prevalence of female sexual dysfunction

ii) FSD and urinary incontinence

Coital urinary incontinence (CUI) occurs in 24- 34% of women. Thirty-two percent of women reported urinary incontinence at intercourse in a recent South African study, with 31% avoiding intercourse altogether due to their urinary leakage. In the same study, stress urinary incontinence (SUI) was more commonly associated with leakage during penetration (32%) when compared to urge urinary incontinence (UUI) (7.8%). However, women with urge urinary incontinence leaked more often during orgasm (15.4%) compared to women with SUI (6.6%). This confirms then the commonly held notion that SUI occurs more commonly during penetration and UUI during orgasm.