Breastfeeding and pelvic floor disorders one to two decades after vaginal delivery

Urinary incontinence in the postpartum 1-year period: Its prevalence and effect on psychosocial status of women

OBJECTIVES

In this study, it was aimed to determine the prevalence and effect of urinary incontinence in the postpartum 1 year period on psychosocial status of women.

METHODS

This study with a cross-sectional and descriptive design was conducted between 01.10.2021 and 01.04.2022. There were 406 women in the postpartum 8 weeks to 1 year period who participated in the study. The data were collected through Identifying Information Form, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, and Nottingham Health Profile.

RESULTS

In the study, it was determined that 21.9% of the women in the postpartum period experienced urinary incontinence problems, and that the most common type of incontinence experienced was stress incontinence (62.9%). Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale mean score of the women who experienced urinary incontinence problems in the postpartum period was found to be significantly higher compared to those who did not experience this problem (P < .05), but no significant difference was found between the rates of those with depression risk according to the cutoff point of the scale (≥13 points). As a result of the regression analysis, it was determined that the increase in depression risk resulted not from urinary incontinence but from age and parity. It was also determined that the mean scores of the women who experienced incontinence problems from the subscales of Nottingham Health profile was significantly high (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, urinary incontinence in the postpartum period is a prevalent problem affecting approximately one-fifth of women. In addition, this problem negatively affects the psychological and social dimensions of women's health.

Evaluation for causal effects of socioeconomic traits on risk of female genital prolapse (FGP): a multivariable Mendelian randomization analysis

BACKGROUND

Although observational studies have established some socioeconomic traits to be independent risk factors for pelvic organ prolapse (POP), they can not infer causality since they are easily biased by confounding factors and reverse causality. Moreover, it remains ambiguous which one or several of socioeconomic traits play predominant roles in the associations with POP risk. Mendelian randomization (MR) overcomes these biases and can even determine one or several socioeconomic traits predominantly accounting for the associations.

OBJECTIVE

We conducted a multivariable Mendelian randomization (MVMR) analysis to disentangle whether one or more of five categories of socioeconomic traits, "age at which full-time education completed (abbreviated as "EA")", "job involving heavy manual or physical work ("heavy work")", "average total household income before tax (income)", "Townsend deprivation index at recruitment (TDI)", and "leisure/social activities" exerted independent and predominant effects on POP risk.

METHODS

We first screened single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) as proxies for five individual socioeconomic traits and female genital prolapse (FGP, approximate surrogate for POP due to no GWASs for POP) to conduct Univariable Mendelian randomization (UVMR) analyses to estimate causal associations of five socioeconomic traits with FGP risk using IVW method as major analysis. Additionally, we conducted heterogeneity, pleiotropy, and sensitivity analysis to assess the robustness of our results. Then, we harvested a combination of SNPs as an integrated proxy for the five socioeconomic traits to perform a MVMR analysis based on IVW MVMR model.

RESULTS

UVMR analyses based on IVW method identified causal effect of EA (OR 0.759, 95%CI 0.629-0.916, p = 0.004), but denied that of the other five traits on FGP risk (all p > 0.05). Heterogeneity analyses, pleiotropy analyses, "leave-one-out" sensitivity analyses and MR-PRESSO adjustments did not detect heterogeneity, pleiotropic effects, or result fluctuation by outlying SNPs in the effect estimates of six socioeconomic traits on FGP risk (all p > 0.05). Further, MVMR analyses determined a predominant role of EA playing in the associations of socioeconomic traits with FGP risk based on both MVMR Model 1 (OR 0.842, 95%CI 0.744-0.953, p = 0.006) and Model 2 (OR 0.857, 95%CI 0.759-0.967, p = 0.012).

CONCLUSION

Our UVMR and MVMR analyses provided genetic evidence that one socioeconomic trait, lower educational attainment, is associated with risk of female genital prolapse, and even independently and predominantly accounts for the associations of socioeconomic traits with risk of female genital prolapse.

Risk factors for primary pelvic organ prolapse and prolapse recurrence: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

To update a previously published systematic review and perform a meta-analysis on the risk factors for primary pelvic organ prolapse and prolapse recurrence.

DATA SOURCES

PubMed and Embase were systematically searched. We searched from July 1, 2014 until July 5, 2021. The previous search was from inception until August 4, 2014.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Randomized controlled trials and cross-sectional and cohort studies conducted in the Western developed countries that reported on multivariable analysis of risk factors for primary prolapse or prolapse recurrence were included. The definition of prolapse was based on anatomic references, and prolapse recurrence was defined as anatomic recurrence after native tissue repair. Studies on prolapse recurrence with a median follow-up of ≥1 year after surgery were included.

METHODS

Quality assessment was performed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Data from the previous review and this review were combined into forest plots, and meta-analyses were performed where possible. If the data could not be pooled, "confirmed risk factors" were identified if ≥2 studies reported a significant association in multivariable analysis.

RESULTS

After screening, 14 additional studies were selected-8 on the risk factors for primary prolapse and 6 on prolapse recurrence. Combined with the results from the previous review, 27 studies met the inclusion criteria, representing the data of 47,429 women. Not all studies could be pooled because of heterogeneity. Meta-analyses showed that birthweight (n=3, odds ratio, 1.04; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.06), age (n=3, odds ratio, 1.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.23-1.47), body mass index (n=2, odds ratio, 1.75; 95% confidence interval, 1.17-2.62), and levator defect (n=2, odds ratio, 3.99; 95% confidence interval, 2.57-6.18) are statistically significant risk factors, and cesarean delivery (n=2, pooled odds ratio, 0.08; 95% confidence interval, 0.03-0.20) and smoking (n=3, odds ratio, 0.59; 95% confidence interval, 0.46-0.75) are protective factors for primary prolapse. Parity, vaginal delivery, and levator hiatal area are identified as "confirmed risk factors." For prolapse recurrence, preoperative prolapse stage (n=5, odds ratio, 2.68; 95% confidence interval, 1.93-3.73) and age (n=2, odds ratio, 3.48; 95% confidence interval, 1.99-6.08) are statistically significant risk factors.

CONCLUSION

Vaginal delivery, parity, birthweight, age, body mass index, levator defect, and levator hiatal area are risk factors, and cesarean delivery and smoking are protective factors for primary prolapse. Preoperative prolapse stage and younger age are risk factors for prolapse recurrence after native tissue surgery.

Development and validation of a predictive model for urinary incontinence postpartum: a prospective longitudinal study

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Urinary incontinence is a common and burdensome problem amongst women. Although it can be prevented, little progress has been made. Identifying individuals at risk remains the key to the prevention of urinary incontinence.

METHODS

Eligible women were enrolled in the obstetric wards of a tertiary maternity hospital in 2020. Urinary incontinence was measured using a well-accepted questionnaire. Logistic regression with a backward stepwise process was used for predictor selection. The discrimination and calibration of the nomogram were measured using the area under the ROC curve (AUC), Hosmer-Lemeshow test and calibration curve respectively. Bootstrapping procedure with 1000 resamples was used for internal validity. A temporal split (7:3) was made and data collected from the later period were used for temporal validation.

RESULTS

Seven predictors including birth mode, urinary incontinence before and during pregnancy, place of residence, feeding pattern, parity, and age at first birth remained in the final model. The AUC was 0.757 (95% CI: 0.72-0.80) and 0.759 (95% CI: 0.70-0.82) in the derivation and validation cohorts respectively. No significant differences were detected in the Hosmer-Lemeshow test and calibration curve in both cohorts.

CONCLUSIONS

The nomogram proved to be a convenient and reliable tool in the clinical setting for risk assessment of postpartum incontinence, which can be applied during pregnancy and the postnatal period for individual risk estimates of postpartum incontinence.

Diagnosis and Management of Postpartum Pelvic Floor Disorders

Pelvic floor disorders are common in the postpartum period. These disorders can significantly affect one's quality of life during a period that is already filled with emotional and physiologic change. This review focuses on the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of the 3 major pelvic floor disorders in postpartum women, namely, urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse.