Dynamic assessment of pelvic floor and bony pelvis morphologic condition with the use of magnetic resonance imaging in a multiethnic, nulliparous, and healthy female population.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to determine dynamic pelvic floor and bony pelvis morphologic condition in asymptomatic multiethnic women.

STUDY

DESIGN

Pelvic floor anthropometry, at rest and after the Valsalva maneuver, and pelvimetry were compared with the use of magnetic resonance imaging in nulliparous young volunteers from 5 ethnic groups (n=11 x 5 volunteers: Emirati, other Arab, Filipino, Indian/Pakistani, and European/white volunteers), with the white volunteers as the reference group.

RESULTS

The white volunteers were significantly taller (P <.0001) than the other women. Their levator hiatus was significantly longer than the Emirati women (P=.03) and wider than the Filipino women (P=.04). The bladder neck descent on straining was also significantly greater than the other groups (P <.00001). The white women also had the longest transverse diameter of the pelvic inlet (P=.002). Their sagittal outlet diameter was significantly longer than the Emirati and Arab women (P=.02), and their interspinous diameter was significantly longer than the Arab women (P=.002).

CONCLUSION

Nulliparous, healthy white women have larger levator hiatus and bony pelvis with greater bladder neck descent on straining than non-white women.