What is to blame for postnatal pelvic floor dysfunction in primiparous women —Pre-pregnancy or intrapartum risk factors?

Conclusions Pre-pregnancy PFD was mainly associated with modifiable risk factors such as smoking and exercising. The main risk factor for postpartum PFD was the presence of similar symptoms prior to pregnancy, followed by anthropometric and intrapartum factors. Hip circumference seems to be a better predictor of PFD compared to BMI. When pre-pregnancy PFD was included in the analysis, Cesarean section was protective only for stress urinary incontinence, while delivery by forceps increased the risk of prolapse.
Source: European Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology - Category: OBGYN Source Type: research