Skip to main content

Invited Commentary

  • Chapter
Pelvic Floor Disorders
  • 2301 Accesses

Abstract

The accurate assessment, recognition, and treatment of pelvic floor trauma during pregnancy and following birth has gained increasing importance over the last decade. Formerly viewed as unavoidable sequelae of vaginal birth, pelvic floor changes following birth are common, and in some cases carry adverse long-term problems including pain, sexual dysfunction, bowel and bladder incontinence, and pelvic organ prolapse. On the other hand, the majority of women give birth without the development of serious pelvic floor problems. The challenge for practitioners is to both identify women at risk for problems and implement preventive practices that decrease the incidence of these disorders, without subjecting the many women not at risk for pelvic floor disorders to unnecessary interventions.

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

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 219.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. DeLancey JOL, Morgan DM, Fenner DE et al. Comparison of levator ani muscle defects and function in women with and without pelvic organ prolapse. Obstet Gynecol 2007;109:295–302.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Snooks SJ, Swash M, Henry MM et al. Risk factors in childbirth causing damage to the pelvic floor innervation. Int J Colorectal Dis 1986;1:20–24.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Ashton-Miller JA, DeLancey JO. On the biomechanics of vaginal birth and common sequelae. Annu Rev Biomed Eng 2009;11:163–176.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Mant J, Painter R, Vessey M. Epidemiology of genital prolapse: observations from the Oxford Family planning Association Study. Br J Obstet Gynaecol 1997;104:579–585.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Roitviet G, Hunskaar S. Urinary incontinence and age at the first and last delivery: the Norwegian HUNT/EPICONT study. Am J Obstet Gynecol 2006;195:433–438.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Albers LL, Sedler KD, Bedrick EJ et al. Midwifery care measures in the second stage of labor and reduction of genital tract trauma at birth: a randomized trial. J Midwifery Womens Health 2005;50:365–372.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Rogers RG, Leeman LM, Migliaccio L et al. Does the severity of spontaneous genital tract trauma affect postpartum pelvic floor function? Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct 2008;19:429–435.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2010 Springer-Verlag Italia

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Rogers, R.G. (2010). Invited Commentary. In: Santoro, G.A., Wieczorek, A.P., Bartram, C.I. (eds) Pelvic Floor Disorders. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-1542-5_20

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-1542-5_20

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Milano

  • Print ISBN: 978-88-470-1541-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-88-470-1542-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics