Symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunctions during pregnancy and postpartum.

BACKGROUND

Monitoring Pelvic Floor Dysfunction (PFD) symptoms during pregnancy is crucial to treating and preventing the onset or worsening of dysfunctions in the postpartum period. This study aimed to evaluate PFD symptoms over time in pregnant and postpartum women.

METHODOLOGY

This longitudinal follow-up study involved pregnant and postpartum women. PFD symptoms were assessed using an obstetric history questionnaire and the Australian Pelvic Floor Questionnaire (APFQ). Pregnant women were grouped into two periods: up to 28 weeks (Period 1) and from 28 to 40 weeks of gestation (Period 2). Postpartum women were divided into three periods: up to 6 weeks (Period 3), between 7 and 24 weeks (Period 4), and more than 24 weeks postpartum (Period 5).

RESULTS

A total of 46 and 44 pregnant women and 65, 53, and 39 postpartum women were analyzed in Periods 1 to 5, respectively. For pregnant women, non-parametric ANOVA revealed a significant difference (p = 0.02) in sexual function between Periods 1 (2.1 ± 2.8) and 2 (1.1 ± 1.8). Among postpartum women, urinary function improved significantly across Periods 3 (9.5 ± 5.9), 4 (4.0 ± 5.1), and 5 (5.7 ± 5.3; p < 0.001). Sexual function deteriorated significantly across these periods. Spearman's correlation indicated moderate associations between urinary function and pregnancy (p < 0.001, r = 0.4) and between prolapse and parity (p = 0.02, r = 0.35) for pregnant women. For postpartum women, moderate correlations were observed between urinary function and parity (p = 0.02, r = 0.3), bowel function and age (p = 0.04, r=-0.29), and sexual function and age (p = 0.049, r=-0.3).

CONCLUSION

The study highlights variations in PFD occurrence during pregnancy and the postpartum period, particularly concerning urinary and sexual function.