title: Evaluation of perineal muscle strength in the first trimester of pregnancy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  to analyze the Pelvic Floor Muscle Strength (PFMS) of pregnant women with one or more vaginal or cesarean deliveries; to compare the PFMS of these with pregnant women with the PFMS of primiparous women.
  
  
  METHODS
  cross-sectional study with women up to 12 weeks pregnant, performed in Itapecerica da Serra, São Paulo state, from December 2012 to May 2013. The sample consisted of 110 pregnant women with one or more vaginal deliveries or cesarean sections and 110 primigravidae. The PFMS was evaluated by perineometry (Peritron(tm)) and vaginal digital palpation (modified Oxford scale).
  
  
  RESULTS
  the average PFMS in pregnant women with a history of vaginal delivery or cesarean section was 33.4 (SD=21.2) cmH2O. From the Oxford scale, 75.4% of the pregnant women with previous vaginal or cesarean deliveries presented grade ≤ 2, and 5.5% grade ≥ 4; among the primiparae, 39.9% presented grade ≤ 2, and 50.9% grade ≥ 4, with a statistically significant difference (p<0.001). From the perineometry, there was no statistically significant difference between the PFMS and age, type of delivery, parity, body mass index, and genitourinary tract symptoms, however, there was a statistically significant difference between the pregnant women with and without a history of episiotomy (p=0.04). In the palpation, none of the variables showed a statistically significant difference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  pregnancy and childbirth can reduce the PFMS.
authors.affiliation: Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriana de Souza
authors.initials: Ade S
authors.lastname: Caroci
authors.affiliation: Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Luiza Gonzalez
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Riesco
authors.affiliation: aff3.
authors.forename: Bianca Moraes Camargo
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.affiliation: Hospital Geral de São Mateus Dr. Manoel Bifulco, São Mateus, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Letícia de Jesus
authors.initials: Lde J
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.affiliation: Pronto Socorro e Maternidade Municipal Zoraide Eva das Dores, Itapecerica da Serra, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sheyla Guimarães
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Oliveira
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053580:Muscle Strength; D010298:Parity; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000502:physiology*; D010502:Perineum / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011446:Prospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult