A systematic review of non-invasive modalities used to identify women with anal incontinence symptoms after childbirth

© 2018, The International Urogynecological Association. Introduction and hypothesis: Anal incontinence following childbirth is prevalent and has a significant impact upon quality of life (QoL). Currently, there is no standard assessment for women after childbirth to identify these symptoms. This systematic review aimed to identify non-invasive modalities used to identify women with anal incontinence following childbirth and assess response and reporting rates of anal incontinence for these modalities. Methods: Ovid Medline, Allied and Complementary Medicine Database (AMED), Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane Collaboration, EMBASE and Web of Science databases were searched for studies using non-invasive modalities published from January 1966 to May 2018 to identify women with anal incontinence following childbirth. Study data including type of modality, response rates and reported prevalence of anal incontinence were extracted and critically appraised. Results: One hundred and nine studies were included from 1602 screened articles. Three types of non-invasive modalities were identified: validated questionnaires/symptom scales (n = 36 studies using 15 different instruments), non-validated questionnaires (n = 50 studies) and patient interviews (n = 23 studies). Mean response rates were 92% up to 6 weeks after childbirth. Non-personalised assessment modalities (validated and non-validated questionnaires) were associated with reporting of higher rates of anal incontinence compared with patient interview at all periods of follow-up after childbirth, which was statistically significant between 6 weeks and 1 year after childbirth (p < 0.05). Conclusions: This systematic review confirms that questionnaires can be used effectively after childbirth to identify women with anal incontinence. Given the methodological limitations associated with non-validated questionnaires, assessing all women following childbirth for pelvic-floor symptomatology, including anal incontinence, using validated questionnaires should be considered

Avaliação e tratamento da dor perineal no pós-parto vaginal Evaluación y tratamiento del dolor perineal en el posparto vaginal Evaluation and treatment of perineal pain in vaginal postpartum

OBJETIVOS: Identificar a prevalência, intensidade e medidas terapêuticas de alívio da dor perineal, após o parto vaginal. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal realizado na Unidade de Alojamento Conjunto do Hospital Universitário da Universidade de São Paulo e os dados foram colhidos por entrevista, junto a 303 puérperas que tiveram parto vaginal, com escala numérica (0 a 10) para avaliar a dor perineal, avaliação perineal e dados do prontuário. RESULTADOS: A prevalência da dor perineal foi de 18,5%, com intensidade moderada (51,8%), associada à presença de episiotomia (p=0,001). Houve 303 partos vaginais; 80,5% apresentaram trauma perineal, 75,4% episiotomias e 24,6% lacerações. O analgésico oral foi o método mais utilizado para alívio da dor perineal. CONCLUSÃO: Há diversos tratamentos para o alívio da dor perineal; não há método com completa eficácia para a resolução do problema.<br>OBJETIVOS: Identificar la prevalencia, intensidad y medidas terapéuticas de alivio del dolor perineal en el posparto vaginal. MÉTODOS: Estudio transversal realizado en la Unidad de Alojamiento Conjunto del Hospital Universitario de la Universidad de Sao Paulo; los datos fueron recolectados por medio de entrevista a 303 puérperas que tuvieron parto vaginal (escala numérica de 0 a 10) para evaluar: el dolor perineal, la evaluación perineal y los datos de la ficha médica. RESULTADOS: La prevalencia del dolor perineal fue de 18,5%, con intensidad moderada (51,8%), asociada a la presencia de episiotomía (p=0,001). Hubo 303 partos vaginales; 80,5% presentaron trauma perineal, 75,4% episiotomías y 24,6% laceraciones. El analgésico oral fue el método más utilizado para aliviar el dolor perineal. CONCLUSIÓN: Existen diversos tratamientos para el alivio del dolor perineal y no existen métodos con completa eficacia para la resolución del problema.<br>OBJECTIVES: To identify the prevalence, intensity and therapeutic measures for relief of perineal pain in the vaginal postpartum. METHODS: Cross-sectional study in a University Hospital Rooming Unit of the University of Sao Paulo; data were collected through interviews with 303 postpartum women who delivered vaginally (numeric scale from 0 to 10) to assess: perineal pain, perineal assessment and medical record data. RESULTS: The prevalence of perineal pain was 18.5%, with moderate intensity (51.8%) associated with presence of episiotomy (p = 0.001). There were 303 vaginal deliveries, 80.5% had perineal trauma, episiotomy, 75.4% and 24.6% lacerations. The oral analgesic was the method used to relieve perineal pain. CONCLUSION: There are several treatments for perineal pain relief and there are no effective methods for complete resolution of the problem