Background: Abnormalities in connective tissue and spirometric disorders have previously been found in women with genital descensus. Objective: To evaluate the association of descensus and respiratory function. Methods: The blood gases and sex hormones were measured in 130 women scheduled for surgical correction of descensus and 60 matched women without descensus. All subjects were nonsmokers and without past or present cardiorespiratory disease. Results: Women with descensus had a lower pH (7.39 ± 0.04 vs. 7.41 ± 0.04, p = 0.01), lower arterial tensions of oxygen (12.7 ± 12. vs. 14.1 ± 0.9 kPa, p = 0.003) and carbon dioxide (5.1 ± 0.4 vs. 5.3 ± 0.3 kPa) but a higher hemoglobin concentration (141 ± 11 vs. 132 ± 9 g/l) and a higher serum progesterone in the follicular phase of the cycle (3.1 ± 4 vs. 1.5 ± 1 ng/ml, p = 0.03). In 39 (30%) women with descensus, the arterial carbon dioxide tension was below 4.9 kPa. All subjects ventilated more in the luteal compared to the follicular phase of the cycle. In women with descensus, the hemoglobin concentration increased with decreasing arterial oxygen tension (p = 10–4) and with decreasing pH (p < 10–3). Conclusion: Women with descensus frequently hyperventilate and, compared with women without descensus, have a lower arterial oxygen tension, increased hemoglobin concentration and slightly lower pH.

Keywords:
Genitourinary prolapse, Stress incontinence, Hyperventilation, Progesterone, Hypoxemia
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