Comparison of Pelvic Floor Muscle Strength in Women With Vaginal Delivery and Caesarean Section After 1-3 Years: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to compare pelvic floor muscle strength (PFMS) in women who had vaginal delivery with episiotomy and those who underwent planned caesarean section 1-3 years postpartum.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort included 208 women from Taleghani Hospital, Arak, Iran, recruited by purposive sampling between May and August 2022. Participants were allocated to two groups: 104 with vaginal delivery and episiotomy and 104 with planned caesarean section. Data were collected using a sociodemographic questionnaire and a perineometer to assess PFMS. Statistical analyses used the independent-samples t test and multiple linear regression.

RESULTS

The mean (± standard deviation) PFMS was 28.6 ± 7.9 in the vaginal delivery group and 29.1 ± 7.1 in the caesarean section group (perineometer scale: 2-124 units). No significant between-group difference was observed (mean difference =-0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -2.6 to 1.5; P = 0.595).

CONCLUSION

Mode of childbirth-vaginal delivery with episiotomy or planned caesarean section-did not significantly influence PFMS 1-3 years postpartum. Caesarean section did not demonstrate a protective effect on PFMS. These findings suggest that concerns about long-term PFMS should not be a primary factor when considering caesarean section over vaginal delivery.