Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41947746›Full record

ArticleBJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology2026

Assessment of Perinatal Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Symptoms and Risk Factors: Measurement Properties of the International Consultation on Incontinence-Perinatal Pelvic Health Self-Assessment Questionnaire (ICIQ-PPHSAQ).

Alan Uren, Anne Fee, Paul Abrams, Kerry Avery, Ewa Sucha, Nick Barrowman, Nichola Bale, Tim Draycott, Mohamed Elhodaiby, Jacq Emkes and 10 more

Abstract readMulticenter StudyValidation Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BJOG : an international journal of obstetrics and gynaecology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
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

20 authors.

Alan UrenBristol Urological Institute, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7486-2322
Anne FeeBristol Urological Institute, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5685-8079
Paul AbramsBristol Urological Institute, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK.
Kerry AveryNIHR Bristol Biomedical Research Centre, University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK.
Ewa SuchaChildren's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Nick BarrowmanChildren's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Nichola BaleWomen and Children's Research Team, North Bristol NHS Trust, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK.
Tim DraycottThe Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London, UK.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1825-4864
Mohamed ElhodaibyDepartment of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, North Bristol NHS Trust, Bristol, UK.
Jacq EmkesPatient Partner, Bristol, UK.
Hashim HashimBristol Urological Institute, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK.
Charles KnowlesBlizard Institute, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK.
Kate LoughPelvic, Obstetric & Gynaecological Physiotherapy (POGP), London, UK.
Chendrimada MadhuUrogynaecology, North Bristol NHS Trust, Bristol, UK.
Kathryn McCarthyColorectal Surgery, North Bristol NHS Trust, Bristol, UK.
John NorrieCentre for Public Health, Queens University, Belfast, UK.
Jen PinkstonePhysiotherapy (Core Clinical Services), north Bristol NHS Trust, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK.
Sally SoodeenSexual Health & Psychosexual Medicine, University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Bristol, UK.
Karen WardWarrell Unit, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, UK.
Nikki CotterillBristol Urological Institute, Southmead Hospital, Bristol, UK.

Funding

The National Health Service Commissioning Board (NHS England): Tender Reference C51688
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveTo assess the measurement properties of the International Consultation on Incontinence-Perinatal Pelvic Health Self-Assessment Questionnaire (ICIQ-PPHSAQ) and to identify symptom subscales for scoring. DESIGN, SETTING AND POPULATION: Two cohorts of perinatal women (antenatal and postnatal) at nine NHS trusts in England completed ICIQ-PPHSAQ at baseline (16-19 weeks' gestation for the antenatal cohort and 6-9 weeks postnatal for the postnatal cohort) and at up to three further timepoints, with follow-up extending to 9 months postnatal.

methodsDescriptive analyses and exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) identified symptom subscales from which subscale scores were calculated. Internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach's alpha (α). Test-retest reliability was assessed using an interval of 1 week after baseline, using weighted Kappa (κ) for individual ordinal items and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for subscale scores. Construct validity and known-groups validity were assessed by comparison with the Patient Global Impression of Severity (PGI-S). Responsiveness was assessed by examining the mean differences between baseline and each timepoint.

resultsA total of 162 antenatal women who were 16-19 weeks gestation, and 173 women 6-9 weeks postnatal were recruited. Almost all the items performed acceptably in the test-retest analyses and completion rates were high in all the scored items (< 5% missing data). EFAs derived nine symptom subscales; seven of which had acceptable overall reliability indicators, except the vaginal symptom and vaginal changes subscales. Known-groups validity was demonstrated for all nine subscales, and six out of nine showed responsiveness to change (p < 0.05) over the study time-period.

conclusionThe study provides evidence supporting the validity and reliability of ICIQ-PPHSAQ, with responsiveness demonstrated across several domains. The instrument can be used to assess perinatal pelvic floor dysfunction risk factors and symptoms in English perinatal pelvic health services.

Indexed as

Pelvic Floor DisordersPregnancy ComplicationsUrinary IncontinenceAdultDiagnostic Self EvaluationEnglandFemaleHumansPregnancyReproducibility of ResultsRisk FactorsSelf-AssessmentSurveys and Questionnairespatient reported outcome measurepelvic floor dysfunctionpelvic healthperinatal healthquestionnairesself‐assessment

Identifiers

PMID41947746
PMCPMC13485451

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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.