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Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Anogenital Distance and Perineal Measurements of the Pelvic Organ Prolapse (POP) Quantification System
Published on: September 20, 2018
Short vs long second stage of labour: is there a difference in terms of postpartum anal incontinence?
Wassim Badiou1, Philippe-Jean Bousquet, Dominique Prat-Pradal
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Paule de Viguier Hospital, Toulouse Cedex 9, France. w.badiou@gmail.com
Objective:
Our purpose was to determine if prolonged second-stage labour independently increases postpartum anal incontinence.
Study Design:
360 primiparous women were studied retrospectively after vaginal delivery of term cephalic singletons, including a group with short second-stage labour (<30min, n=163) and a group with a prolonged second stage (>90min, n=197). A quality of life questionnaire on anal incontinence (FIQOL) was sent out at 15 months after delivery.
Results:
184 women (96 with short second-stage labour and 88 with a prolonged second stage) answered the questionnaire (response rate 51%). Flatus incontinence was reported after prolonged second-stage labour in 9.1% of women vs 15.6% after short second stage (p=0.18). Fecal incontinence was reported after prolonged second-stage labour in 2.3% vs 5.2% after a short second stage (p=0.45).
Conclusion:
We suggest that prolonged second stage of labour should not be associated with an increased risk of postpartum incontinence.
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