Introduction and hypothesisHow body mass index (BMI) affects pelvic floor function after a second-degree perineal laceration is unknown. The hypothesis of this study is that pelvic floor dysfunction and complications after an obstetric second-degree perineal laceration are more common in women with a higher BMI 8 weeks postpartum.MethodsThis register-based cohort study includes 10,876 primiparous women with an obstetric second-degree perineal laceration between 2014 and 2021. Data were retrieved from the Swedish Perineal Laceration Registry. Outcomes in relation to maternal BMI were urinary incontinence (UI), anal incontinence (AI) and common complications attributable to the laceration. Uni- and multivariate logistic regressions were used for comparison between normal weight (BMI < 24.9, reference), overweight (25.0-29.9) and obese (& GE; 30) women.ResultsMultivariate analyses showed an increased risk for UI in both overweight and obese women compared to normal-weight women 8 weeks after a second-degree perineal laceration with an adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of 1.21 (CI 1.02-1.44) and 1.27 (CI 1.13-1.58) respectively. Overweight and obese women had a decreased risk for AI (aOR 0.81, CI 0.68-0.96; aOR 0.72, CI 0.57-0.90 respectively) compared with normal-weight women. No significant differences were found in the univariate analyses over BMI strata concerning complications after perineal laceration.ConclusionsPrimiparous overweight and obese women report less AI and more UI than normal-weight women 8 weeks after a second-degree perineal laceration. No differences were found regarding complications. These findings are new and merit further study to find potential preventive factors and interventions after a second-degree perineal laceration.

Introduction: Postpartum hemorrhage is the leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality worldwide. There are several known risk factors for postpartum hemorrhage related to pregnancy and delivery, but less evidence of predisposing factors. Recent research has shown that vitamin D deficiency may increase the risk of cesarean section due to dystocia, based on its effect on striated muscle as well as possible effect on the myometrium. Whether vitamin D deficiency increases the risk for postpartum hemorrhage and especially atonic hemorrhage is unknown.Material and methods; This was a retrospective translational study. The study population included 1367 women in Sweden and the main exposure was the serum concentration of 25-hydroxylated vitamin D at time of delivery. The LIASON (R) 25 OH vitamin D total assay method was used for analyzing 25-hydroxylated vitamin D. Vitamin D insufficiency was defined as serum concentration <50 nmol/L and vitamin D deficiency as serum concentrations <25 nmol/L. Primary outcomes were postpartum hemorrhage and severe postpartum hemorrhage defined as bleeding >= 500 mL and >= 1000 mL, respectively 2 h after delivery. Secondary outcome was atonic postpartum hemorrhage. Crude and adjusted odds ratios were calculated with 95% confidence intervals using univariable and multivariable logistic regression. Three different adjustment methods were used, adjusting for maternal, obstetrical and neonatal confounders.Results; Postpartum hemorrhage and severe postpartum hemorrhage afflicted 31.3% and 6.4% of the women, respectively. Rate of atonic postpartum hemorrhage was 21% in the whole population. Rate of vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency was 57%. Vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency was neither found to be associated with postpartum hemorrhage, nor with atonic postpartum hemorrhage.Conclusions: In this study, the vitamin D status of women at the time of delivery was not a predictor of postpartum hemorrhage overall or atonic postpartum hemorrhage.

Introduction and hypothesis The impact of body mass index (BMI) on pelvic floor recovery after an obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASI) is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hypothesis that urinary incontinence (UI) and anal incontinence (AI) are more common in overweight and obese women than in normal-weight women 8 weeks postpartum in women with OASI. Methods A population-based cohort study including 6,595 primiparous women, with an OASI, delivered between 2014 and 2019. Exposure and questionnaire data were retrieved from the Swedish Perineal Laceration Registry. Uni- and multivariate analyses were used to compare normal-weight (BMI <= 24.9, reference), overweight (25.0-29.9), and obese (>= 30) women with regard to UI and AI at 8 weeks post-partum. Results Multivariate analyses showed an increased risk for urinary incontinence (OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.27-1.87) among overweight women as well as among obese women (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.32-2.24). In contrast to our hypothesis, both overweight women (OR 0.68, 95% CI 0.56-0.83) and obese women (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.49-0.87) were at a decreased risk for any gas and/or faecal incontinence after adjustment to possible confounding factors. The absolute rate of AI was 40.1% among normal-weight women, 34.2% among overweight women, and 29.1% in the obese group. Conclusions Urinary incontinence is more common, whereas AI is less common among overweight and obese women than in primiparous women with a BMI <24.9, 8 weeks after an OASI. The new finding, that overweight women report less AI than normal-weight women, merits further study.

Risk factors for obstetric external anal sphincter injury are well known. Maternal and obstetric risk factors for internal anal sphincter injury are not extensively studied.

The rationale of this study was to evaluate the proportion of internal anal sphincter injury in women with external anal sphincter injury, diagnosed immediately after delivery.

This study will assess whether there are additional risks for obstetric internal anal sphincter injury.

Objectives

The primary aim was to assess the proportion of internal anal sphincter injury immediately in women with an external sphincter injury and to evaluate maternal and obstetric risk factors for internal anal sphincter injury in women with an external anal sphincter injury only.

A secondary aim was to relate the diagnostic methods used for obstetric perineal lacerations to the presence of an internal anal sphincter injury.

Study Design

A registry study with data from the Swedish Perineal Laceration Registry 2014–2018.

From the registry, the maternal and obstetric characteristics of 3,333 primiparous women with isolated external (N = 2,236) versus both external and internal (N = 1,097) anal sphincter injuries were studied, as were the methods used for examining the obstetric anal sphincter injuries.

Results

In 32.9 % (1,097/3,333) of primiparous women with an external anal sphincter injury, an internal anal sphincter injury was diagnosed immediately after delivery. A perineal palpatory thickness of less than 10 mm was a diagnostic sign for internal sphincter injury. Well-known risk factors associated with obstetric anal sphincter injuries could not be confirmed as independent risk factors for internal sphincter injury. When the infant is born with an arm beside the head, there is an almost two-fold increased risk for internal sphincter injury.

Conclusions

Our main finding is that 32.9 % of women with external anal sphincter injury also have an internal anal sphincter injury. A palpable perineal thickness of less than 10 mm, a degree 4-laceration and an infant born with a hand by the head increases the risk of internal sphincter injury and should be a clinical warning sign.

Introduction and Hypothesis

No measurements are available for diagnosing the extent of obstetric lacerations. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the relation between the anovaginal distance (AVD) measured with transperineal ultrasound immediately after delivery and external anal sphincter injury. A secondary aim was to assess whether the palpated perineal thickness was associated with the AVD.

Methods

A prospective observational study of 150 primiparous women at the University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden. After vaginal delivery, initial inspection and palpation of the perineal thickness were performed by the midwife. The women were then divided into subgroups depending on the degree of the suspected perineal laceration. Transperineal ultrasound of the AVD was performed by a physician. Diagnostics of the perineal laceration were done according to standard care.

Results

Women with an external sphincter injury had a shorter AVD and shorter palpatory perineal thickness compared with women without anal sphincter injury. No external sphincter injuries were diagnosed when the AVD and/or palpation height was > 20 mm. The mean AVD in the group with probable second-degree laceration (n = 85) was 18.8 mm (95% CI 17.8–19.8), in suspected third-degree laceration (n = 33) 15.7 mm (95% CI 13.7–17.7) and in probable third-degree laceration (n = 32) 11.8 mm (95% CI 9.7–13.9) (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

A short AVD could be a warning sign postpartum and should increase the awareness of possible external sphincter injury before suturing. An AVD of 20 mm seems to indicate a cutoff level of the occurrence of external sphincter injury, but this needs further evaluation.

Background: Obstetric perineal lacerations are common after vaginal birth. The degree of obstetric perineal laceration is defined by the extent of tissue involved in the laceration. When a perineal laceration has occurred after vaginal delivery, the examination for correct diagnostics is essential before primary suturing. Standard immediate postpartum care is an inspection and palpation of the obstetric perineal laceration. The aim of this thesis was to explore the diagnostics of obstetric perineal lacerations, and to examine how the methods of bidigital perineal palpation and transperineal ultrasound postpartum can contribute to the clinical diagnostic decisions before primary repair.

Material and Methods: Study I is a methodological study of transperineal ultrasound of the anovaginal distance. The learning curve and inter-observer agreement of the method is studied between three examiners in an outpatient gynaecological setting. Study II is a prospective observational study of 150 primiparous women with suspected perineal laceration of degree 2-3 immediately after childbirth and the association between bidigital palpation of the perineal height, the anovaginal distance and the final diagnosis of the perineal laceration. Study III is a retrospective observational study with data from the Swedish national Perineal Laceration Registry, studying maternal and obstetric risk factors for internal anal sphincter injury in 3,333 women with external sphincter injury. Study IV is a follow-up study focusing on the implementation strategies and outcome when introducing a new method, (the Diagnostics After DELivery – DADEL concept) for examining perineal lacerations at a maternity ward. The DADEL concept consists of a combination of bidigital palpation of the perineal tissues and transperineal ultrasound in order to determine the degree of perineal lacerations.

Results and conclusions: In study I, the method of transperineal ultrasound measurement of anovaginal distance revealed a short learning period and high interobserver agreement. This indicated that the method can be taught and reliably used in further research and clinical practice. In study II, women with external sphincter injury had a shorter anovaginal distance compared to women without this injury. The palpatory perineal thickness was associated with the anovaginal distance. Study III showed that 33% of primiparous women with an external anal sphincter injury also had an internal anal sphincter injury diagnosed immediately after delivery. When the infant was born with a hand or arm beside the head, there was an increased risk for internal anal sphincter injury. Perineal palpatory thickness of less than 10 mm was significantly associated with an internal anal sphincter injury. In the follow-up study of diagnostic methods showed a significantly higher use of bidigital palpation five years after introduction of the DADEL concept. The use of transperineal ultrasound showed no significant change during the same period.

Objective outcome measures of the extent of laceration at delivery are needed. In this study we evaluated and describe here a method for learning perineal ultrasound measurement of the anovaginal distance (AVD). The learning period needed for examiners proficient in vaginal ultrasound examination and the interobserver agreement after reaching proficiency in AVD measurement were determined. The hypothesis was that the method is feasible to learn and reproducible for use in further research. The method was taught by an examiner experienced in perineal ultrasonography. The distance between the mucosal margin of the internal anal sphincter was measured with a vaginal probe. The studied examiners measured the AVD until similar results (+/- 5 mm) were achieved. The AVD in 40 women was then measured and documented by two examiners who were blinded to each others results. Interobserver agreement was calculated using the kappa score. Examiners with previous experience in vaginal ultrasonography had learned the method after performing five sets of comeasurements. The AVD measurements after the learning period showed almost perfect agreement (kappa = 0.87) between the examiners. The method for perineal ultrasound measurement of AVD was learned quickly with high interobserver agreement. The method is feasible to learn and reproducible for use in further research.

Introduction. To evaluate if there was a difference in the anovaginal distance (AVD) measured by transperineal ultrasound between obese and normal weight women. Material and Methods. A prospective observational study including 207 primiparous women at term in first stage of labor. Transperineal ultrasound with a vaginal probe was used to measure the AVD. Maternal, pregnancy, and delivery characteristics potentially associated with perineal thickness were extracted from womans medical records. The participants were divided into three BMI groups based on maternal weight in early pregnancy: normal weight (BMI amp;lt; 25), overweight (BMI 25-29.9), and obesity (BMI amp;gt;= 30). Obese and overweight women were compared with normal weight women regarding the AVD. Results. The mean AVD was 24.3, 24.9, and 27.0 mm in the normal weight, overweight, and obesity group, respectively. There were no group differences in background characteristics. The AVD was significantly longer in obese women compared with normal weight women (p = 0.018). Conclusions. The observed longer AVD in obese women might be protective of the anal sphincter complex, explaining lower rates of anal sphincter injuries in this group. Further studies are indicated to evaluate whether the length of the AVD plays a role in the risk assessment of obstetric anal sphincter injury.