Abstract
To analyze pelvic floor muscular strength (PFMS), urinary (UI) and anal (AI) incontinence and dyspareunia in primiparous women up to 6 months after normal or cesarean delivery. this is a prospective cohort with 169 women (128 normal births, 41 cesarean sections), followed between 50-70 and 170-190 days postpartum, when PFMS was measured using perineometry, and UI and AI and dyspareunia, through interview. PFMS, UI and dyspareunia were similar between types of delivery. The difference was significant only for the time elapsed, with improvement in the studied period (2 and 6 months postpartum). Regarding AI, there was a significant difference between 2 and 6 months postpartum, with an interaction between type of delivery and time (p=0.022). the type of delivery did not show any influence on pelvic floor dysfunctions, except for AI. For all outcomes, there was an improvement in the period studied.
Highlights
Vaginal delivery is related to changes in the pelvic floor, leading to decreased pelvic floor muscle strength (PFMS)(1-3).A study that analyzed the effect of different types of delivery in primiparous women, at 6 and 8 weeks postpartum, concluded that vaginal delivery is an independent risk factor for damage to the pelvic floor muscles[3]
There was no significant difference in relation to skin color, education, occupation, marital status and previous UI according to the type of childbirth
One of the outcomes of interest in the study was PFMS assessment, which was similar among women with normal childbirth and cesarean section, both at 2 months and 6 months after childbirth, but the results indicated a small increase at 6 months in both groups (p=0.002), with no interaction between type of childbirth and elapsed time (Table 2)
Summary
Vaginal delivery is related to changes in the pelvic floor, leading to decreased pelvic floor muscle strength (PFMS)(1-3). The strengthening of the pelvic floor muscles is a recognized strategy for the prevention and reduction of morbidities in the genitourinary and anal tract that can arise in childbirth and continue in the postpartum period[5,10]. In this sense, knowing PFD after delivery and drawing a profile of the PFMS is important to improve these training programs during pregnancy and after delivery, implement nursing care based on scientific evidence and promote women’s health
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
