Dynamic assessment of pelvic floor and bony pelvis morphologic condition with the use of magnetic resonance imaging in a multiethnic, nulliparous, and healthy female population.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to determine dynamic pelvic floor and bony pelvis morphologic condition in asymptomatic multiethnic women.


METHODS
Pelvic floor anthropometry, at rest and after the Valsalva maneuver, and pelvimetry were compared with the use of magnetic resonance imaging in nulliparous young volunteers from 5 ethnic groups (n=11 x 5 volunteers: Emirati, other Arab, Filipino, Indian/Pakistani, and European/white volunteers), with the white volunteers as the reference group.


RESULTS
The white volunteers were significantly taller (P <.0001) than the other women. Their levator hiatus was significantly longer than the Emirati women (P=.03) and wider than the Filipino women (P=.04). The bladder neck descent on straining was also significantly greater than the other groups (P <.00001). The white women also had the longest transverse diameter of the pelvic inlet (P=.002). Their sagittal outlet diameter was significantly longer than the Emirati and Arab women (P=.02), and their interspinous diameter was significantly longer than the Arab women (P=.002).


CONCLUSIONS
Nulliparous, healthy white women have larger levator hiatus and bony pelvis with greater bladder neck descent on straining than non-white women.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates. rizk.diaa@uaeu.ac.ae
Diaa E E
DE
Rizk
Janusz
J
Czechowski
Leif
L
Ekelund
D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D018912:Arabs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010384:Pelvic Bones / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012016:Reference Values; D014621:Vagina / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D044465:White People