Vaginal childbirth is the most common method of delivery. However, half of the female population worldwide who underwent vaginal delivery have experienced pelvic floor dysfunction.
Pelvic floor dysfunction is a problem for women with personal and social impacts that may result in the decline in their quality of life. Hence, a tool is needed to predict the problem after vaginal delivery.
“More than 46 percent of women who had vaginal delivery experience pelvic floor dysfunction that can reduce their life quality,” stated Dr. Nuning Pangastuti, Sp.OG(K) during her exam of Doctoral Program at Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing UGM, in the Training Room of Sardjito Hospital, Monday (20/8).
Nuning Pangastuti said several studies found that pelvic organ prolapse and urinary incontinence associated with vaginal delivery have increased in various parts of the world. Similarly, there is also an increase in anal and fecal incontinence that correlate with various degrees of perineal tears due to vaginal delivery.
Therefore, introduction to risk factors for pelvic floor dysfunction is one way to prevent it after vaginal delivery. Risk factors can be identified before, during pregnancy, also during labor.
“This study is carried out with the aim of creating a valid and reliable instrument for predicting pelvic floor dysfunction after vaginal delivery,” she explained when defending the dissertation entitled Prediction Instrument for Pelvic Floor Dysfunction in Post Vaginal Delivery.
According to Nuning, such prediction instrument facilitates data collection for risk factors and early detection of pelvic floor dysfunction risk on women after delivery.
“Additionally, the tool also acts as a prevention and a basis for consideration of medical referral process in the management of pelvic floor dysfunction."
One of the actual preventions is KIPPas-Jogja (Pangastuti Prediction Instrument Card-Jogja). KIPPas-Jogja is a tool that can be used to evaluate a set of risk factors for pelvic floor dysfunction after vaginal delivery.
“The assessment result will show a prediction of pelvic floor dysfunction risks. Hopefully, health workers can use KIPPas-Jogja during labor to predict the occurrence of pelvic floor dysfunction after vaginal delivery,” she concluded.