Epidural Anesthesia and Pelvic Floor Outcomes in Primiparas: A Retrospective Transperineal Ultrasound Study

This study evaluated pelvic organ positions in primiparas with painful and painless deliveries using transperineal ultrasound (TPU) and assessed the effects of epidural anesthesia on pelvic floor function.

From January 2022 to March 2023, 512 primiparas with vaginal deliveries at our hospital underwent pelvic floor ultrasound examinations 42 days postpartum. The study included 138 women with painful deliveries and 375 with painless deliveries. Measurements included the urethral tilt angle (UTA), retrovesical angle at rest (RVA-R), bladder neck-symphysis pubis distance (BSD) at rest, retrovesical angle at Valsalva maneuver (RVA-V), urethral rotation angle (URA), bladder neck descent (BND), rectal ampulla distance, and levator hiatal area (LHa) at maximum Valsalva maneuver. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0.

No significant differences were found between the painful and painless delivery groups in terms of age, gestational age, newborn birth weight, BMI, UTA, RVA-R, RVA-V, URA, and BND (P > 0.05). Although the second stage and total duration of labor were significantly longer in the painless delivery group, there were no significant differences in the incidences of cystocele, internal urethral orifice opening, uterine prolapse, rectocele, and LHa expansion between the groups (P > 0.05).

Transperineal ultrasound showed no significant difference in pelvic floor dysfunction incidence between primiparas with painful and painless deliveries. Epidural anesthesia did not significantly affect pelvic floor function in the early postpartum period.