Iron deficiency anemia, backache, and abdominal pain attacks during sexual intercourse in a 42-year-old woman.

BACKGROUND

Gastrointestinal bleeding is a common diagnostic problem. We describe here a 42-year-old woman who had iron deficiency anemia that went undiagnosed for 8 years.

SYMPTOMS AND

RESULTS

She had a 'blood spray' when crouching, backache, and abdominal pain attacks during sexual intercourse. Defecography, but neither clinical examination nor endoscopy, demonstrated abnormal mobility of the rectal mucosa associated with other pelvic floor abnormalities.

THERAPY: After rectopexy, the bleeding stopped, and the blood values normalized.