Risk factors for pelvic floor dysfunction
Risk factors for pelvic floor dysfunction
Modifiable risk factors
- A body mass index (BMI) over 25 kg/m2
- Smoking
- Lack of exercise
- Constipation
- Diabetes
Non-modifiable risk factors
- Age (risk increases with increasing age)
- Family history of urinary incontinence, overactive bladder or faecal incontinence
- Gynaecological cancer and any treatments for this
- Gynaecological surgery (such as a hysterectomy)
- Fibromyalgia
- Chronic respiratory disease and cough (chronic cough may increase the risk of faecal incontinence and flatus incontinence)
Related to pregnancy:
- Being over 30 years when having a baby
- Having given birth before their current pregnancy
Related to labour:
- Assisted vaginal birth (forceps or vacuum)
- A vaginal birth when the baby is lying face up (occipito-posterior)
- An active second stage of labour taking more than 1 hour
- Injury to the anal sphincter during birth
Reference:
- NICE. Pelvic floor dysfunction: prevention and non-surgical management. NICE guideline NG210. Published December 2021
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