[Pregnancy, delivery and pelvic floor disorders]

Pregnancy and vaginal delivery affect pelvic floor by increased intra-abdominal pressure, direct muscle trauma, nerve injury and connective tissue damage. Even if pelvic floor dysfunction is more common after vaginal delivery compared to cesarean section, the differences are less clear after long-term follow up. This implies that other factors such as age, estrogen levels, genetic factors and overweight have also a role in the pathophysiology of pelvic floor dysfunctions. It is possible to prevent some of the birth injuries by careful obstetric management. Pelvic floor muscle training during pregnancy or after delivery may reduce the incidence of fecal and urinary incontinence after delivery, but data about long-term effects is scarce.