Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2015 Mar;11(2):225-38.
doi: 10.2217/whe.14.66.

Impact of fecal incontinence and its treatment on quality of life in women

Isuzu Meyer  1 , Holly E Richter
Affiliations
Review

Impact of fecal incontinence and its treatment on quality of life in women

Isuzu Meyer et al. Womens Health (Lond). 2015 Mar.

Abstract

Fecal incontinence (FI) is a physically and psychosocially debilitating disorder which negatively impacts quality of life (QOL). It bears a significant burden not only on patients but also on their families, caretakers as well as society as a whole. Even though it is considered a somewhat common condition, especially as women age, the prevalence is often underestimated due to patients' reluctance to report symptoms or seek care. The evaluation and treatment of FI can be also hindered by lack of understanding of the current management options among healthcare providers and how they impact on QOL. This article provides a comprehensive review on the impact of FI and its treatment on QOL in women.

Keywords: accidental bowel leakage; anal incontinence; bowel incontinence; bowel leakage; defecation disorders; defecatory disorders; fecal incontinence; quality of life.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Financial disclaimer/conflict of interest:

IM: None

HER: Partially supported by the National Institutes of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, 2K24-DK068389.

References

    1. Alimohammadian M, Ahmadi B, Janani L, Mahjubi B. Suffering in silence: a community-based study of fecal incontinence in women. Int J Colorectal Dis. 2014;29(3):401–406. - PubMed
    1. Makol A, Grover M, Whitehead WE. Fecal incontinence in women: causes and treatment. Womens Health (Lond Engl) 2008;4(5):517–528. - PubMed
    1. Halland M, Koloski NA, Jones M, et al. Prevalence correlates and impact of fecal incontinence among older women. Dis Colon Rectum. 2013;56(9):1080–1086. - PubMed
    1. Wald A. Clinical practice. Fecal incontinence in adults. N Engl J Med. 2007;356(16):1648–1655. - PubMed
    1. Markland AD, Richter HE, Burgio KL, Myers DL, Hernandez AL, Subak LL. Weight loss improves fecal incontinence severity in overweight and obese women with urinary incontinence. Int Urogynecol J. 2011;22(9):1151–1157. - PMC - PubMed

Publication types