[Characteristics of urinary continence mechanisms of the lower urinary tract in late pregnancy].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the characteristics of the urinary continence mechanisms of the lower urinary tract in late pregnant women.


METHODS
A total of 47 volunteer women without urinary leakage in late pregnancy were selected as the study group. Twenty-seven non-pregnant women with normal lower urinary tract function were included in control group. Urodynamic studies were performed on all women.


RESULTS
The maximum flow rate [(20 +/- 13), (32 +/- 7) ml/s; P < 0.05], the voided volume and the normal desire cyst volume [(163 +/- 13), (226 +/- 85) ml vs (436 +/- 19), (338 +/- 56) ml; P < 0.05] of the late pregnant group and control group were different significantly; residual urine which was less than 10 ml was found in seven pregnant women. Compared with the control group, the maximum urethral pressure, the maximum urethral closure pressure and the functional urethral length of the study group were increased obviously (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The sufficient increase of the static urethral pressure profile in late pregnancy could compensate for the progressive increase in bladder pressure during pregnancy, which is beneficial to maintain the urinary continence mechanisms in pregnancy.
Wen
Jian-Guo
JG
Urodynamic Center, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
Shi
Hui-Rong
HR
Yang
Xiao-Feng
XF
Wang
Qing-Wei
QW
Zhang
Rui-Li
RL
Dong
Li
L
D000328:Adult; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D011312:Pressure; D011372:Progestins / Q000378:metabolism; D014521:Urethra / Q000502:physiology*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000502:physiology*; D014563:Urodynamics
D004967:Estrogens; D011372:Progestins