title: Differences in morphology and contractility of the bulbospongiosus and pubococcygeus muscles in nulliparous and multiparous rabbits.
abstract: In women, birth trauma can result in altered anatomy of supporting structures of the pelvic floor and in the development of urinary incontinence. The goal of this study was to investigate the association between parturition and the morphology and function of perineal and pelvic muscles in the female rabbit. In ten nulliparous and ten multiparous same-age females, we investigated morphological, histological (n = 5 females/group), and contractile characteristics (n = 5 females/group) of the perineal bulbospongiosus (Bsm) and the pelvic pubococcygeus (Pcm) muscles. Bsm and Pcm muscles of multiparous females were significantly lighter, they had a smaller cross-sectional fiber area, and developed significantly lower twitch and tetanic tension force in response to electrical stimulation than muscles of nulliparous females. In female rabbits, multiparity is associated with potentially pathological changes in the morphological and functional characteristics of these perineal and pelvic muscles, possibly as a result of stretching during parturition.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Conducta Animal, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Toluca, Mexico.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fajardo
authors.forename: Pablo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pacheco
authors.forename: Robyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hudson
authors.forename: Ismael
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jiménez
authors.forename: Margarita
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martínez-Gómez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D010298:Parity; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D010502:Perineum / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011817:Rabbits