Difficult childbirth leading to pelvic floor dysfunction
Posted: Mon Oct 29, 2012 9:48 pm
Here's a link to an interesting recent article: Handa, Blomquist, Knoepp, Hoskey, McDermott and Munoz, "Pelvic Floor Disorders 5 - 10 years after Vaginal or Cesarean Childbirth", Obstet Gynecol. 2011 October; 118(4): 777-784: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3178744. The authors conclude:
"In summary, these results provide important evidence of a strong association between vaginal childbirth and pelvic floor disorders. In particular, our results suggest that operative vaginal delivery is associated with a large increase in the relative odds of pelvic floor disorders 5-10 years after delivery. " ("Operative" means mechanically assisted, such as with forceps or vacuum extractor.)
I have always been puzzled as to why I developed PN when my identical twin sister did not. And also why it developed ten years after having my last child. Then I realized that I had had an extremely difficult first labor (24 hours plus) which included the use of a vacuum extractor, whereas my sister's first child was delivered by cesarian. My subsequent labors were equally difficult (8 and 8.5 hours respectively) whereas her subsequent labour was 4 hours. Pelvic floor dysfunction is a risk factor for developing pudendal neuralgia.
I have resolved to tell my two daughters when they are ready to have children to opt for cesarean if the labor is long.
"In summary, these results provide important evidence of a strong association between vaginal childbirth and pelvic floor disorders. In particular, our results suggest that operative vaginal delivery is associated with a large increase in the relative odds of pelvic floor disorders 5-10 years after delivery. " ("Operative" means mechanically assisted, such as with forceps or vacuum extractor.)
I have always been puzzled as to why I developed PN when my identical twin sister did not. And also why it developed ten years after having my last child. Then I realized that I had had an extremely difficult first labor (24 hours plus) which included the use of a vacuum extractor, whereas my sister's first child was delivered by cesarian. My subsequent labors were equally difficult (8 and 8.5 hours respectively) whereas her subsequent labour was 4 hours. Pelvic floor dysfunction is a risk factor for developing pudendal neuralgia.
I have resolved to tell my two daughters when they are ready to have children to opt for cesarean if the labor is long.