Pelvic Floor Issues Pregnancy

As your baby grows and becomes heavier it puts increasing pressure on the muscles in your pelvic floor.

Pelvic floor issues pregnancy.

These muscles offer support to the uterus small intestine bladder and rectum. The pelvic floor muscles can sometimes become too loose and weak. Pelvic floor dysfunction due to pregnancy and delivery can cause stress incontinence urge incontinence and or lower back pain. This is a common problem for women because of pregnancy and childbirth.

Our female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery specialists also known as urogynecologists are specially trained in postpartum pelvic issues. As a pregnant woman and pelvic floor physical therapist i am surrounded by stories advice and opinions about the right way to give birth most of us know that pregnancy and childbirth often result in trauma to the pelvic floor and perineum which can lead to incontinence pelvic organ prolapse and painful sex among other things. Pelvic floor dysfunction is the inability to control the muscles of your pelvic floor. Pregnancy and childbirth can sometimes lead to pelvic floor changes that are painful embarrassing and uncomfortable.

A review of the impact of pregnancy and childbirth on pelvic floor function as assessed by objective measurement techniques. As i mentioned my biggest issues after a 10 year cycle of getting pregnant some troubles being pregnant and post partum along with another 5 years of still dealing with the physical repercussions was incontinence in one delivery my urethra was torn and pelvic floor dysfunction specifically a prolapsed bladder. Pelvic floor dysfunction is a common condition where you re unable to correctly relax and coordinate the muscles in your pelvic floor to urinate or to have a bowel movement. Extra pressure on the pelvic floor muscles can effect proper function.

In a recent study of 311 female triathletes 1 in 3 women reported symptoms of pelvic floor disorders. When pelvic floor muscles become stretched out or weakened a common effect of pregnancy childbirth and certain types of exercise women often experience incontinence pelvic pain or pelvic organ prolapse. Int urogynecol j 29 327 38 woodley sj boyle r cody jd et al. Pelvic floor muscle training for prevention and treatment of urinary and faecal incontinence in antenatal and postnatal women.

Some people have weak pelvic floor muscles from an early age whilst others notice problems after certain life stages such as pregnancy childbirth or menopause.