OBJECTIVES: The aim of our study was to evaluate the prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction and its effect on quality of life among Hungarian female population.

METHODS: Two hundred and three women above the age of 18 were included. We used two questionnaires, a self-constructed for demographic and previous obstetric history and the Australian Pelvic Floor Questionnaire (APFQ) to get information on pelvic floor function.

RESULTS: There was a statistically significant association between the prevalence of urinary incontinence (56.2%) and increasing age (p≤ 0.001), body mass index (p≤ 0.001), number and mode of deliveries (p≤ 0.001; p≤ 0.001), previous episiotomy (p≤ 0.001) and pelvic organ prolapse surgery (p≤ 0.010). We found significant association between the occurrence of pelvic organ prolapse (27.1%) and increasing age (p≤ 0.002), number and mode of deliveries (p≤ 0.001; p≤ 0.001) and previous episiotomy (p≤ 0.001). A statistically significant association was found between the prevalence of anal incontinence (58.9%) and increasing BMI (p≤ 0.029), between faecal incontinence (16.8%) and previous obstetric perineal injury (p≤ 0.034). Sexual dysfunction (53,2 %) was significantly associated with respiratory disease and allergy (p≤ 0.048). We found significant association between the occurrence of multiple pelvic floor dysfunction and increasing age (p≤ 0.001), body mass index (p≤ 0.043), previous hysterectomy (p≤ 0.046) and pelvic organ prolapse surgery (p≤ 0.010). The appearance of anal incontinence (p< 0.001), pelvic organ prolapse (p=0.036) and sexual dysfunction (p= 0.043) was significantly more frequent in women with urinary incontinence. There was a significant difference between women having more severe pelvic floor dysfunction than milder complaints regarding quality of life (bladder p ˂0.000; bowel p ˂ 0.000; sexual dysfunction p ˂ 0.000 and pelvic organ prolapse p ˂ 0.000).

CONCLUSIONS: Pelvic floor dysfunction was common in our study population, and had a great adverse effect on quality of life.