A survey of the sexual changes in patients having abdominoperineal resection for ulcerative colitis was made at the Medical College of Georgia. The incidence of impotence in our series is zero. Only one of our female patients had a successful pregnancy. The other women seemed to be hampered by anatomic derangements relating to strictures, adhesions, or dislocation of the uterus, although the precise causes of infertility have not been elucidated. We suggest that in young men, fear of infertility have not been elucidated. We suggest that in young men, fear of injuring sexuality should not impede selection of appropriate surgical modality. However, we also suggest that the woman's risk of post-operative impairment of sexual function is greater than the man's.