Pelvic Floor Damage During Childbirth

Pelvic floor muscles and their associated structures are at risk of becoming weakened during pregnancy or of experiencing trauma and damage during delivery this problem is identified by the nice 2006 guidance urinary incontinence.

Pelvic floor damage during childbirth. It doesn t matter how much yours may soften throughout the 9 months ultimately your pelvic floor supports your growing baby and is one part of you that is hugely susceptible to injury during childbirth. It is quite common after childbirth to experience some feelings of heaviness in the vagina. Strengthening your pelvic floor muscles will help you to actively support your bladder bowel and uterus. During labor and birth pelvic floor damage can becaused by.

If the pelvic floor muscles are damaged or torn from the bone during the delivery the damage is not seen from the outside so is therefore not diagnosed at the time. Ninety six nulliparous women were investigated to establish whether childbirth causes damage to the striated muscles and nerve supply of the pelvic floor. This is the weakest area of the pelvic floor. Can also increase the chance of pelvic floor damage as the area of the head is larger causing more stretch of the pelvic floor.

Your pelvic floor is the group of muscles and ligaments in your pelvic region the pelvic floor acts like a. If the pelvic floor has been severely damaged then this feeling may persist. These injuries can be picked up if a check is done after six weeks via a vaginal. The pelvic floor supports the uterus vagina bladder and rectum.

You are also more at risk of pelvic floor damage during birth if you are of advanced maternal age over the age of 35 years. The anal sphincter is a muscle that surrounds the back passage and is often regarded as part of the pelvic floor see figure 2. Keeping your pelvic floor in good shape during pregnancy and after childbirth is a positive step you can take towards preventing long term pelvic floor problems. Pelvic floor dysfunction is the inability to control the muscles of your pelvic floor.

This is caused by pelvic floor weakness and is usually temporary taking up to a year after delivery to resolve. During a vaginal birth the baby needs to pass through the levator hiatus in the pelvic floor and the muscles connective tissues and nerves can be damaged in the process. These physical changes continue right until the very end during and after childbirth also particularly when it comes to your pelvic floor. The urethra vagina and rectum pass through the pelvic floor in an area known as the levator hiatus.

The techniques used were concentric needle electromyography emg pudendal nerve conduction tests and assessment of pelvic floor contraction using a perineometer. A baby with a larger than normal head.