The impact of childbirth on the pelvic floor.

Vaginal delivery is known to be associated with trauma to the pelvic floor (PF) and its muscles and ligaments. In some cases, this can lead to issues with urinary incontinence and pelvic organ descent postpartum, either immediately or in the woman's later years. Some factors during a vaginal delivery can be modified in attempts to preserve as much functional integrity to the PF as possible. A trend has evolved in recent years regarding maternal requests for primary cesarean section (CS), with one goal being the reduction in PF trauma. However, evidence to date refutes this as a foolproof practice in decreasing PF dysfunctions, including urinary incontinence.