Effect of postpartum pessary use on pelvic floor function: a prospective multicenter study

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Pelvic Floor Health
• Postpartum Recovery

Background:

• Pelvic floor dysfunction is a common postpartum issue.
• The Restifem® pessary is explored for its role in pelvic floor rehabilitation.
• This study investigates its preventive and therapeutic applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of the Restifem® pessary in restoring pelvic floor function in postpartum women.
• To assess its utility in both preventive and therapeutic contexts.
• To compare outcomes between pessary users and non-users.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter study offered the Restifem® pessary to postpartum women for 3-6 months.
• Participants completed the German Pelvic Floor Questionnaire (GPFQpp) at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months postpartum.
• Women self-selected into pessary user and non-user groups.

Main Results:

• Initially, 857 women were enrolled; follow-up data were available for 53 users and 45 non-users at 12 months.
• Pessary users reported worse initial pelvic floor symptoms (higher GPFQpp scores).
• At 12 months, pessary users showed significantly greater improvement in bladder and pelvic organ prolapse scores compared to non-users.

Conclusions:

• Pessary users experienced a significantly greater improvement in pelvic floor function over 12 months postpartum.
• This enhanced recovery may be linked to pessary use and a higher baseline of dysfunction.
• The Restifem® pessary shows potential in improving postpartum pelvic floor outcomes.