Evidence map›Paper›PMID 29019880›Full record

ArticleMedicine2017

The effect of water immersion delivery on the strength of pelvic floor muscle and pelvic floor disorders during postpartum period: An experimental study.

Yun Zhao, Mei Xiao, Fei Tang, Wan Tang, Heng Yin, Guo-Qiang Sun, Yin Lin, Yong Zhou, Yan Luo, Lu-Man Li and 1 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Medicine, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Trial
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Observational
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Yun ZhaoDepartment of Obstetrics Department of Pelvic Floor Rehabilitation, Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Hubei Province, Wuhan, China.
Mei Xiao
Fei Tang
Wan Tang
Heng Yin
Guo-Qiang Sun
Yin Lin
Yong Zhou
Yan Luo
Lu-Man Li
Zhi-Hua Tan

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundWater immersion delivery is a non-pharmacological approach to ease labor pain. This paper aims to investigate the effect of water immersion delivery on increasing strength of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) and relieving pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) during postpartum period.

methodsA total of 2749 vaginal-delivery primiparas in postpartum 6-8 weeks were selected as research objects. Based on the modes of delivery, 600 patients were assigned into water immersion delivery group, 2149 were assigned into conventional delivery group. The scales of PFM strength and pelvic organ prolapsed (POP) were determined by specially trained personnel using digital palpation, and the symptoms of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) were investigated by questionnaire survey. The weak PFM strength was improved by doing Kegel exercise at home for 6-8 weeks.

resultsWe found that ①The rate of episiotomy in water immersion delivery group was 77.50% (465/600), which was lower than that in conventional delivery group (84.69%, 1820/2149) (P < .01); The primiparas without having an episiotomy have higher PFM strength than those having an episiotomy for both groups (P < .01). ②There was a negative correlation between the scale of PFM strength and SUI or POP, wherein the r-values were -0.135 and -0.435, respectively (P < .01). ③The rate of SUI was 6.50% (39/600) in water immersion delivery group and 6.89% (148/2149) in the conventional delivery group, wherein the intergroup difference was not significant (P > .05); ④The rates of vaginal wall prolapsed and uterus prolapsed were 29.83% (179/600) and 2.83% (17/600) in water immersion delivery group and 30.95% (665/2149) and 4.37% (94/2149) in the conventional delivery group, wherein the intergroup difference was not significant (P > .05). ⑤After Kegel exercise, the strength of PFM was promoted (P < .01).

conclusionWater immersion delivery has been proved to a beneficial alternative method for conventional delivery method. This delivery mode is associated with fewer episiotomy rate, and avoiding episiotomy is beneficial for maintaining PFM strength of women in postpartum 6-8 weeks. The strength of PFM during postpartum period can be improved by doing Kegel exercise at home.

Indexed as

Delivery, ObstetricImmersionLabor PainUrinary Incontinence, StressAdultCase-Control StudiesChinaFemaleHumansLabor Stage, FirstMonitoring, PhysiologicMuscle StrengthPain MeasurementPelvic FloorPelvic Floor DisordersPregnancy

Identifiers

PMID29019880
PMCPMC5662303

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.