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Pudendal nerve damage during labour: prospective study before and after childbirth
A H Sultan1, M A Kamm, C N Hudson
1St Mark's Hospital, London, UK.
British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology
|January 1, 1994
Summary
Childbirth, especially vaginal delivery, can cause significant pudendal nerve damage, impacting pelvic floor function. Some C-sections during labor also pose a risk, with damage potentially being asymmetrical.
Area of Science:
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Neuroscience
- Pelvic Floor Disorders
Background:
- Pudendal nerve function is crucial for pelvic floor control.
- Childbirth can potentially lead to nerve damage and associated dysfunction.
- Understanding the impact of delivery mode on the pudendal nerve is essential for maternal health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the effect of childbirth on pudendal nerve function.
- To identify obstetric factors linked to pudendal nerve damage.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study involving 128 pregnant women.
- Measured pudendal nerve terminal motor latencies (PNTML) and perineal descent antenatally and postnatally.
- Assessed nerve function at 6-8 weeks and 6 months postpartum.
Main Results:
- Vaginal delivery significantly prolonged PNTML (P < 0.0001) and increased perineal descent (P < 0.001).
- Left-sided pudendal nerve damage was more pronounced.
- Cesarean sections during labor also increased left-sided PNTML (P < 0.01), while elective C-sections did not alter PNTML.
Conclusions:
- Vaginal delivery, particularly first-time births, causes significant pudendal nerve damage.
- Cesarean sections performed during labor may also risk pudendal nerve injury.
- Labor and vaginal delivery can lead to asymmetrical pudendal nerve damage.