The Bubbleverse: Women's Experiences of Pelvic Floor Care and Their Journey Through Bubbles

This study explores women's experiences of pelvic floor (PF) care after childbirth, revealing significant insights into their physical and emotional journeys during the transformative period following birth in a Swedish tertiary hospital context. The focus is on women who sustained third- or fourth-degree PF injuries after vaginal birth, viewed through the perspective of universal design (UD).

The study uses qualitative methods, observations, and interviews to illuminate challenges in PF care. Qualitative content analysis is used to identify themes emerging from participants' narratives. Comics serve as a visual and multimodal method to depict the variety and sequencing of women's narratives in multimodal ways.

The analysis identified two main themes. The first, the Bubbleverse, is a metaphor for women's experiences across interconnected phases of birth and recovery, where PF injuries were often overshadowed by vaginal birth, newborn care, and future uncertainty. The second theme reflected women's recommendations for healthcare, calling for timely, individualised communication, and structured support.

The study concludes with a call to reconfigure the fragmented and underprioritised aftercare. Alternative care pathways tailored to individual needs are essential for more equitable PF care.