Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Does water delivery affect pelvic floor? Ultrasound evaluation of perineal function

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

The aim of the study is to analyse urethral mobility and excursion of the pubo-rectal angle, using perineal ultrasound, after normal vaginal delivery and water delivery.

Materials and methods

A total of 52 primiparous women were enrolled: 25 who had delivery in water (W Group), 27 who had delivery without using water (NW Group). Every woman underwent perineal ultrasound assessment at 6 months after having given birth. The following parameters were assessed: urethral mobility during Valsalva’s manoeuvre, movement of the pubo-rectal sling angle during contraction of the levator ani muscle.

Results

Data obtained show that the urethral mobility during Valsalva’s manoeuvre is higher in the W Group (34.9°) in comparison to the NW Group (29.5°), without statistically significant differences. The excursion of the pubo-rectal sling angle resulted lower in the W Group (8.7°) than in the NW Group (11.0°), without statistically significant differences.

Conclusion

The present study found no statistically differences in pelvic floor, using perineal ultrasound, between water and “non-water” delivery.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Weber AM, Buchsbaum GM, Chen B, Clark AL, Damaser MS, Daneshgari F, Davius G, De Lancey J, Kenton K, Weidner AC, Word RA (2004) Basic science and traslational research in female pelvic floor disorders: proceedings of an NIH-Sponsored Meeting. Neurol Urodyn 23:288–301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. O’Boyle AL, O’Boyle JD, Calhoun B, Davis GD (2005) Pelvic organ support in pregnancy and postpartum. Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct 16(1):69–72

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Marshall K, Walsh DM, Baxter GD (2002) The effect of a first vaginal delivery on the integrity of the pelvic floor musculature. Clin Rehabil 16(7):795–799

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Costantini S, Esposito F, Nadalini C, Lijoi D, Morano S, Lantieri P, Mistrangelo E (2004) Ultrasound imaging of female perineum: the effect of vaginal delivery on pelvic floor dynamics. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 23:298–301

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Lal M, H Mann C, Callender R, Radley S (2003) Does cesarean delivery prevent anal incontinence? Obstet Gynecol 101(2):305–412

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Rortveit G, Daltveit Ak, Hannestad YS et al (2003) Urinary incontinence after vaginal delivery or cesarian section. N England J Med 348:900–907

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Ochsenbein N, Kurmanavicius J, Huch R, Huch A, Wisser J (2001) Pelvic floor in nulliparous women and after elective cesarean section. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scandinavica 80:611–615

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Nygaard I (2005) Should women be offered elective caesarean section in the hope of preserving pelvic floor function? Int Urogynecol J 16:253–254

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Sartore A, De Seta F, Maso G, Pregazzi R, Grimaldi E Guaschino S (2004) The effect of mediolateral episiotomy on pelvic floor function after vaginal delivery. Obstet Gynecol 103:669–673

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. MacLennan AH, Taylor AW, Wilson DH, Wilson D (2003) The prevalence of pelvic floor disorders and their relationship to gender, age, parity and mode of delivery. BJOG 110(1):88

    Google Scholar 

  11. Meyer S, Hohlfeld P, Achtari C, Russolo A, De Grandi P (2000) Birth trauma: short and long term effects of forceps delivery compared with spontaneous delivery on various pelvic floor parameters. BJOG 107(11):1360–1365

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Peschers UM, Sultan AH, Jundt K, Mayer A, Drinovac V, Dimpfl T (2003) Urinary and anal incontinence after vacuum delivery. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 110(1):39–42

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Peschers UM, Schaer GN, DeLancey JO, Schuessler B (1997) Levator ani function before and after childbirth. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 104(9):1004–1008

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Lee SJ, Park JW (2000) Follow-up evaluation of the effect of vaginal delivery on the pelvic floor. Dis Colon Rectum 43(11):1550–1555

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Alderice F, Renfrew M, Marchant S, et al (1995) Labour and birth in water in England and Wales: Survey report. Br J Midwifery 3:375–382

    Google Scholar 

  16. Bodner K, Bodner-Adler B, Wierrani F, Mayerhofer K, Fousek C, Niedermayr A, Grunberger W (2002) Effects of water birth on maternal and neonatal outcomes. Wien Klin Wochenschr 114(10–11):391–395

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Cluett ER, Nikodem VC, McCandlish RE, Burns EE (2004) Immersion in water in pregnancy, labour and birth. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2:CD000111

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Otigbah CM, Dhanjal MK, Harmsworth G, Chard T (2000) A retrospective comparison of water births and conventional vaginal deliveries. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 91(1):15–20

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Sampselle CM, Brink CA, Wells TJ (1989) Digital measurement of pelvic muscle strength in childbearing women. Nurs Res 38:134–138

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Brink CA, Wells TJ, Sampselle CM, Taillie ER, Mayer R (1994) A digital test for pelvic muscle strength in women with urinary incontinence. Nurs Res 43:256–352

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Costantini S, Mistrangelo E, Francioso R, Valenzano Menada M, Risso D, Lantieri P (2005) Vaginal versus transabdominal hysterectomy: is mode of hysterectomy to influence pelvic statics or is pelvic statics to influence mode of hysterectomy? Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand 84(4):376–379

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Garland D, Jones (2000) Waterbirth: supporting practice with clinical audit. MIDIRS Midwifery Digest 10(3):333–336

    Google Scholar 

  23. Burns E (2001) Waterbirths. MIDIRS Midwifery Digest 11(3):S10–S13

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ospedale San Martino, Dipartimento di Ginecologia e Ostetricia, University of Genova, Padiglione 1, I piano, Largo R. Benzi, 16100, Genova, Italy

    Emanuela Mistrangelo, Chiara R. Gaggero, Chiara Nadalini, Sara G. Mancuso, Francesca Esposito, Sandra Morano & Sergio Costantini

Authors
  1. Emanuela Mistrangelo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chiara R. Gaggero
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Chiara Nadalini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Sara G. Mancuso
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Francesca Esposito
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Sandra Morano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Sergio Costantini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Emanuela Mistrangelo.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mistrangelo, E., Gaggero, C., Nadalini, C. et al. Does water delivery affect pelvic floor? Ultrasound evaluation of perineal function. Arch Gynecol Obstet 276, 133–138 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-007-0322-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-007-0322-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation