title: Impact of pregnancy and vaginal delivery on the passive and active mechanics of the rat vagina.
abstract: Remodeling of vaginal extracellular matrix and smooth muscle likely plays a critical role in reducing the risk of maternal injury during vaginal delivery by altering the mechanical properties to increase distension and reduce stress. Long-Evans rats were divided into five groups to examine the passive mechanical and active contractile properties throughout pregnancy and postpartum: virgin (n=17), mid-pregnant (Day 14-16, n=12), late-pregnant (Day 20-22, n=14), immediate postpartum (0-2 h after delivery, n=14), and 4 week postpartum (n=15). Longitudinal sections of vaginal tissue were loaded to failure uniaxially for passive mechanical or active contractile properties were examined. For passive mechanics, the tangent modulus decreased 45% by mid-pregnancy and immediately postpartum (p<0.001). The ultimate strain continuously increased up to 43% higher than virgin animals (p=0.007) in the immediate postpartum group. For active mechanics, the maximal contractile force was 36-56% lower through immediate postpartum animals, and was significantly more sensitive to K+ throughout pregnancy and postpartum (p=0.003). The changes observed in the passive and active properties of the rat vagina are consistent with what would be expected from a tissue that is remodeling to maximize its ability to distend at the time of vaginal delivery to facilitate passage of the fetus with minimal injury.
authors.affiliation: Musculoskeletal Research Center, Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Feola
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moalli
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alperin
authors.forename: Robbie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Duerr
authors.forename: Robin E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Gandley
authors.forename: Steven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abramowitch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D055119:Elastic Modulus / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D013314:Stress, Mechanical; D013718:Tensile Strength; D014621:Vagina / Q000502:physiology*
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