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Neuropathic injury to the levator ani occurs in 1 in 4 primiparous women.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Weidner, AC; Jamison, MG; Branham, V; South, MM; Borawski, KM; Romero, AA
Published in: Am J Obstet Gynecol
December 2006

OBJECTIVE: We measured levator ani neuromuscular function before and after first delivery to identify the location, timing, and mechanism of injury. STUDY DESIGN: Fifty-eight primiparous women underwent electromyographic examination of the levator ani antepartum at 6 weeks and 6 months after the delivery. Antepartum turns/amplitude data were pooled to create a normal range. We calculated each woman's percentage of outliers from this range and assessed relationships between delivery and extent of injury. RESULTS: At 6 weeks, 14 of 58 women (24.1%) had neuropathy, with 9 of those 14 women recovering by 6 months. At 6 months, 17 of 58 women (29.3%) were neuropathic, which included 12 new injuries. Women who had elective cesarean delivery had virtually no injury, but all other modes of delivery had similar injury rates. CONCLUSION: Obstetric delivery is associated frequently with electromyographic evidence of neuropathic injury to the levator ani. The entire levator complex is at risk, and cesarean delivery while in labor is not protective.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Am J Obstet Gynecol

DOI

EISSN

1097-6868

Publication Date

December 2006

Volume

195

Issue

6

Start / End Page

1851 / 1856

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Wounds and Injuries
  • Time Factors
  • Recovery of Function
  • Pregnancy
  • Pelvic Floor
  • Parity
  • Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine
  • Neuromuscular Junction
  • Labor, Obstetric
  • Incidence
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Weidner, A. C., Jamison, M. G., Branham, V., South, M. M., Borawski, K. M., & Romero, A. A. (2006). Neuropathic injury to the levator ani occurs in 1 in 4 primiparous women. Am J Obstet Gynecol, 195(6), 1851–1856. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2006.06.062
Weidner, A. C., M. G. Jamison, V. Branham, M. M. South, K. M. Borawski, and A. A. Romero. “Neuropathic injury to the levator ani occurs in 1 in 4 primiparous women.Am J Obstet Gynecol 195, no. 6 (December 2006): 1851–56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2006.06.062.
Weidner AC, Jamison MG, Branham V, South MM, Borawski KM, Romero AA. Neuropathic injury to the levator ani occurs in 1 in 4 primiparous women. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2006 Dec;195(6):1851–6.
Weidner, A. C., et al. “Neuropathic injury to the levator ani occurs in 1 in 4 primiparous women.Am J Obstet Gynecol, vol. 195, no. 6, Dec. 2006, pp. 1851–56. Pubmed, doi:10.1016/j.ajog.2006.06.062.
Weidner AC, Jamison MG, Branham V, South MM, Borawski KM, Romero AA. Neuropathic injury to the levator ani occurs in 1 in 4 primiparous women. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2006 Dec;195(6):1851–1856.
Journal cover image

Published In

Am J Obstet Gynecol

DOI

EISSN

1097-6868

Publication Date

December 2006

Volume

195

Issue

6

Start / End Page

1851 / 1856

Location

United States

Related Subject Headings

  • Wounds and Injuries
  • Time Factors
  • Recovery of Function
  • Pregnancy
  • Pelvic Floor
  • Parity
  • Obstetrics & Reproductive Medicine
  • Neuromuscular Junction
  • Labor, Obstetric
  • Incidence