Evaluation of pelvic floor function by transabdominal ultrasound in postpartum women

Abstract

To investigate the relationship between displacement of the bladder base and genitohiatal distance during voluntary contractions of pelvic floor muscles in postpartum women. Twenty women (age 34.7 ± 4.4 years, BMI 21.1 ± 3.2 kg/m²) at about 6 weeks after a vaginal delivery were studied. Displacement of the bladder base and genitohiatal distance were measured by transabdominal and transperineal ultrasound, respectively. Displacement of the bladder base was significantly correlated with shortening of genitohiatal distance (r = 0.772, p < 0.001). The intraclass correlation coefficient of the three measurements in each woman was 0.796 for displacement of the bladder base. There was no significant difference in terms of displacement of the bladder base between continent women and incontinent women. This study suggests a strong positive correlation between displacement of the bladder base and shortening of genitohiatal distance during voluntary contractions of pelvic floor muscles in postpartum women. Measurement of displacement of the bladder base by transabdominal ultrasound can be helpful for evaluating pelvic floor function in postpartum women.