Association between pelvic floor muscle function and stress urinary incontinence in the third gestational trimester: A cross-sectional observational study

ABSTRACT

Objective

Investigate the association between pelvic floor muscle function and stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in women in the third trimester of pregnancy.

Methods

Cross-sectional observational study. Urinary symptoms were collected through a questionnaire. The physical examination of the pelvic floor muscle was performed by vaginal palpation and manometry. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the factors associated with SUI.

Results

Analysis of the data collected from nulliparous and multiparous women identified an association between decreased pelvic floor muscle function (i.e. Power, Repetition, and Maximal Voluntary Contraction (MVC)) and the presence of SUI. There were also associations noted between power and SUI [AOR (95% CI) = 1.41 (1.01–1.97)], repetition and SUI [AOR (95% CI) = 1.31 (1.06–1.63)], and MVC and SUI [AOR (95% CI) = 1.02 (1.00–1.03)]. In the analysis of nulliparous women, there was also an association between low resting vaginal pressure (manometry) and SUI [AOR (95% CI) = 1.03 (1.01–1.06)].

Conclusions

Low pelvic floor muscle strength, low MVC, and decreased ability to repeat sustained pelvic floor muscle contractions were associated with SUI in the third gestational trimester. In nulliparous women, there was an association between low resting vaginal pressure and SUI; however, none these associations were identified in multiparous women.

KEYWORDS:

• Pregnancy
• pelvic floor
• stress urinary incontinence
• women’s health

Acknowledgments

This study was financed in part by Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brazil (CAPES), Finance Code 001 and by the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), [grant numbers #306263/2014-9].

Disclosure statement

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

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the CAPES [Finance Code 001]; CNPQ [grant numbers #306263/2014-9].