Sexual functioning of adult patients born with meningomyelocele - A pilot study

Objectives: This pilot study was started to get an impression of the sexual activity and sexual difficulties of adult patients born with meningomyelocele in control at Utrecht University Hospital, and to find out whether these problems deserve more attention from the Spina Bifida Team. Methods: Seventeen patients (9 men, 8 women; aged 19-44) were asked to participate; 11 (8 men, 3 women) decided to take part in this study. All these patients were interviewed by their physician about their present sexual life; 6 of them also completed the 'Questionnaire for screening Sexual Dysfunctions' (QSD). Results: With 1 exception, all patients expressed a desire for sexual contact. Five of them masturbated and 6 patients sometimes had sexual contact. Eight patients had problems in the field of sexuality, but only 3 were dissatisfied with their present sexual life. Conclusions: It is advantageous to invite adult patients born with meningomyelocele for an interview about their sexual life. When raising this subject, however, one has to act with caution: for quite a few patients (in this study mostly women) sexuality still is a delicate subject.