The association between obesity and stage II or greater prolapse.

Objective: We sought to evaluate the association between obesity and vaginal prolapse as well as pelvic organ prolapse symptoms.

Study Design: This was a cross-sectional study of women referred for urogynecologic care. The exposure was obesity and outcome, stage>or=II prolapse. Secondary outcomes were symptom bother and disease-specific quality of life.

Results: Our study included 721 women. No difference in stage>or=II prolapse was observed between obese (n/N 58/721 [35.8%]) and nonobese (n/N=463/721 [64.2%]) women (50.8% vs 52.7%; P=.62). Obesity was associated with increased distress on the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 (100 [+/-57.3] vs 87.4 [+/-53.1]; P=.003) due to higher scores on the Colorectal-Anal Distress Inventory-8 (22.9 [+/-21.5] vs 18.3 [+/-19.7]; P=.003) and the Urinary Distress Inventory-6 (48.8 [+/-27] vs 42.4 [+/-26.1]; P=.002).

Conclusion: Obesity was not associated with stage>or=II prolapse but was associated with increased pelvic floor symptoms secondary to urinary and anal incontinence subscales.