Embarrassing things for mothers after childbirth
Many mothers after normal delivery experience “urinary incontinence”, which is the unconscious flow of urine after coughing, laughing or running and jumping. This is one of the reasons why some mothers-to-be choose to have a cesarean section. How does this postpartum “urinary incontinence” occur? Is it really related to childbirth? Is it possible to avoid it by cesarean delivery? If this symptom has already appeared, how can it be improved?
The cause is related to natural childbirth
During vaginal delivery, when the fetal head meets the resistance of the pelvic floor muscles, as the fetus descends, the fetal head mechanically compresses and expands the pelvic floor tissues, causing strain and damage to these muscles and nerves, and separating the connections between connective tissues, resulting in a weakening of the contraction force of the pelvic floor muscles after vaginal delivery, a decrease in urethral closing pressure and a shortening of the effective urethral length, resulting in postpartum stress incontinence.
It can be said that this involuntary postpartum urine outflow does have some relationship with normal delivery.
Cesarean delivery may also trigger urinary incontinence
However, it is worth noting that studies have reported that 22%-53% of women aged 45 to 65 years suffer from stress urinary incontinence, and 5%-15% of uncomplicated mothers aged 17 to 25 years suffer from stress urinary incontinence. This shows that this symptom is not absolutely related to normal delivery.
Even if you choose to have a cesarean section, you may still have these symptoms.
The real cause is revealed
The normal female urinary control mechanism is accomplished by a complex interaction between the bladder, urethra, pelvic floor muscle groups, connective tissue and the nervous system, and is a reflection of a coordinated relationship between structure and function, where abnormalities in any of the links will affect the functional state of the entire system.
These complex structures are like a “net” in which the urethra, bladder, vagina, uterus, rectum and other organs are tightly suspended in order to maintain their normal position to perform their functions. Once this “net” becomes less flexible and the “hanging force” is insufficient, the organs within the “net” cannot be maintained in their normal position, resulting in postpartum “urinary incontinence”.
Postpartum pelvic floor function training is necessary
During pregnancy, as the enlarged uterus pushes up on the bladder, the position of the bladder urethra rises, the bladder neck is funnel-shaped, and the bladder capacity decreases due to the compression of the enlarged uterus. Therefore, it is necessary for postpartum mothers to do pelvic floor training in time, regardless of whether they had a normal delivery or a cesarean section.
What is pelvic floor training?
The purpose of pelvic floor functional training is to strengthen the tone of the pelvic floor muscles and the muscles around the urethra, and to improve the support around the proximal urethra and bladder neck in order to avoid or reduce the occurrence of stress urinary incontinence.
The most common pelvic floor functional training exercises
The so-called pelvic floor functional training exercise is to consciously perform repetitive, rhythmic, selective pelvic floor muscle contractions and relaxations on their own to restore weakened pelvic floor muscles and strengthen urinary control. Relaxation is performed for 3 seconds at a time for 15 minutes, for a course of 4-6 weeks.
Three types of instrument-assisted treatments are commonly used
Biofeedback therapy
Biofeedback is a behavioral training technique in which visual or auditory signals are given through muscle physiology that is not easily perceived and fed back to the patient so that the patient does feel the muscle movements and learns how to change and control the physiological processes.
Electrical stimulation therapy
It needs to be performed in a hospital through an electrical stimulation treatment apparatus. Different electrical currents are delivered through probes placed in the anus or vagina to stimulate the pelvic floor muscles and nerves, increase the strength and power of the pelvic floor muscles, strengthen the support of the urethra and bladder neck, increase the urethral closing pressure and improve the symptoms of urinary incontinence.
Magnetic field stimulation treatment
Treatment needs to be performed in a hospital using specialized instruments. By stimulating the tissues around the perineum with magnetic pulses, it causes the pelvic floor muscles to contract for treatment purposes.