title: Is cesarean section a real panacea to prevent pelvic organ disorders?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to compare the pelvic floor muscle strength after vaginal delivery vs. after cesarean section.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five groups of 50 cases each were designated as follows: nullipara (control group), spontaneous vaginal delivery (SVD), repeat SVD (SVD-R), cesarean section (CS), and repeat CS (CS-R). Perineometric measurements, stress urinary incontinence (SUI) symptoms, pelvic organ prolapse quantification examinations, and Incontinence-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (IQOL) were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all delivery groups, pelvic muscle strength was significantly lower than the control group (65.10 ± 15.69, 56.29 ± 17.39, 54.28 ± 20.08, 56.82 ± 17.62, and 57.92 ± 16.45 (cm H(2) ± SD) for the control, SVD, SVD-R, CS, and CS-R groups, respectively; p < 0.05). However, no significant difference was found among the delivery groups. There were significant differences in SUI symptoms between the control (2%) and SVD-R (26%) groups and between the SVD (10%) and SVD-R groups (p < 0.001 and p = 0.037, respectively). No statistically significant correlations between IQOL and perineometric measurements were noted (r = 0.097 and p = 0.598).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pregnancy increases postpartum muscle weakness independent of the mode of delivery. Increased SUI symptoms are associated with vaginal delivery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Abant Izzet Baysal University, 14280 Golkoy, Bolu, Turkey. onderkoc1@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Onder
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Koc
authors.forename: Bulent
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Duran
authors.forename: Safak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozdemırcı
authors.forename: Yesim
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bakar
authors.forename: Nuriye
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ozengin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000009:adverse effects*; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008365:Manometry; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000502:physiology*; D056887:Pelvic Organ Prolapse / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D055815:Young Adult