ABSTRACT
Fecal incontinence, although not a life-threatening condition, can be a life-altering problem. The
symptoms range from minor soiling to gross loss of stool. For some with this problem, the fear
of soilage prevents them from functioning outside their homes and away from a toilet. The inclusion
of a chapter on this subject in a book devoted to anterior pelvic organ problems is appropriate as the
pelvic floor is viewed more as a single entity due to shared innervation and muscular support. The
common etiology leading to most urogenital dysfunction is the same for fecal incontinence: namely,
childbirth. At our institution, we found that a third of women presenting to the urogynecologist for
urinary incontinence also had fecal incontinence (1). Similarly, Tetzcher et al. found that 18% of
women who had a previous obstetric anal sphincter disruption had both urinary and fecal inconti-
nence (2). Therefore, women presenting to the urogynecologist frequently have combined problems.
II. PREVALENCE
