The impact of pregnancy and childbirth on pelvic sensation: a prospective cohort study

Pelvic organ prolapse, urinary, bowel and sexual dysfunction, collectively called pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) affects 1 in 3 women and has a significant public health impact. The causes of PFD are not fully understood but involve injury to connective tissue and motor nerve during childbirth. Wome...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2023-01, Vol.13 (1), p.1535-1535, Article 1535
Main Authors: Mahoney, Charlotte K., Reid, Fiona M., Smith, Anthony R. B., Myers, Jenny E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
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Cesarean Section
Childbirth & labor
Cohort analysis
Connective tissues
Delivery, Obstetric
Female
Humanities and Social Sciences
Humans
multidisciplinary
Neurological complications
Neuroprotection
Parturition
Pelvic Floor
Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Pelvis
Pregnancy
Prospective Studies
Public health
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Sensation
Sensation - physiology
Sensory neurons
Sexual behavior
Vagina
Vibration
Womens health
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Summary:Pelvic organ prolapse, urinary, bowel and sexual dysfunction, collectively called pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) affects 1 in 3 women and has a significant public health impact. The causes of PFD are not fully understood but involve injury to connective tissue and motor nerve during childbirth. Women with PFD also have sensory nerve impairment, and it is likely this occurs during childbirth, but this has never been investigated. In the current study 150 women underwent quantitative sensory testing for vibration sensation at the vagina and clitoris, and stretch sensation at the vagina and introitus, in the third trimester, 3 and 6 months postnatal. Antenatally vibration sensation was reduced but stretch sensation was normal. Postnatally vibration sensation deteriorated whilst stretch sensation initially deteriorated but recovered by 6 months postnatal to antenatal levels (all p  
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-023-28323-7