Pelvic floor symptoms and symptom-related quality of life in the mothers of children with cerebral palsy: a pilot cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT

Pelvic floor symptoms may occur in women with low back pain due to dysfunction of the spinal stabilization muscles. Low back pain is the most common musculoskeletal problem experienced by the mothers of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Therefore, our aim in this study was to examine pelvic floor symptoms and symptom-related quality of life in the mothers of children with CP. The study included 48 mothers of children with CP (n = 23) or without neurodevelopmental problems (n = 25). The mothers’ pelvic floor symptoms and symptom-related quality of life were evaluated with the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 (PFDI-20) and the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire-7 (PFIQ-7). PFDI-20 and PFIQ-7 scores did not differ between the two groups of mothers (p > .05). Additionally, moderately significant positive correlations were found between the age of the child with CP and duration of carrying and the PFDI-20 (r = 0.419, p = .047) and PFIQ-7 (r = 0.427, p = .042) scores. Pelvic floor symptoms and symptom-related quality of life in the mothers of children with CP were similar to those in the mothers of children without neurodevelopmental problems. As the age of the child with CP and duration of carrying increase, the urinary symptoms and urinary and colorectoanal symptoms-related quality of life in their mothers may worsen.

KEYWORDS:

• Cerebral palsy
• low back pain
• mothers
• pelvic floor
• quality of life

Author contributions

Damla Korkmaz Dayican: Research concept and study design, data analysis and interpretation, writing of the manuscript, reviewing/editing a draft of the manuscript.

Zeynep Hosbay: Data analysis and interpretation, statistical analyses, reviewing/editing a draft of the manuscript.

Burcin Ozyurek: Research concept and study design, literature review, data collection.

Gulsena Utku Umut: Research concept and study design, literature review, data collection.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data is available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author.

Ethics approval

This study was approved by Biruni University Non-Interventional Ethics Committee (Decision No: 2022/69–16).

Submission declaration and verification

This work has not been presented at a prior conference or meeting congress.

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.