ABSTRACT

Pelvic floor disorders affect women in all age groups and cause poor quality of life with economic burden. The aim of the present study was to investigate the attitude of women who were admitted to our clinic about the relationship between mode of delivery and pelvic floor disorders and pelvic muscle exercises.

A total of 1316 women who had attended our outpatient gynecology clinic for various complaints were interviewed by an expert gynecologist. Demographic data including age, marital status, education, health insurance, menopausal status, parity, mode of deliveries, birth weights, and also lower urinary tract symptoms were included in the interview. All the participants were asked to complete a verbal modified Pelvic Risk Knowledge Score (PRKS) questionnaire regarding their knowledge about pelvic floor disorder risks.

The mean modified PRKS was 4.95±2.5. Of the patients, 26.8% had a diagnosis of stress urinary incontinence, 14.3% had urgency, 19.8% had frequency, 11.1% had >stage 2 pelvic organ prolapse (POP), 7.4% did not even hear about pelvic muscle exercises, and 17.6% did not even inform about pelvic muscle exercises by a health care provider. PRKS was significantly higher in multiparous women than in primiparous women (p<0.0001). Vaginal birth also significantly increased the PRKS with respect to cesarean delivery (p=0.006). Women with cesarean deliveries had significantly increased PRKS with respect to nulliparous women (p<0.0001).

Episiotomy, menopause, lower urinary tract symptoms, and POP are the factors that significantly increase PRKS.

Keywords: Pelvic floor disorders, pelvic muscle exercises, pelvic risk, vaginal birth