The "Descent Of Women" A Silent Epidemic

Pelvic floor disorders can be a serious cause of discomfort and even disease, especially among women. The disorders may prompt incontinence, vaginal or uterine prolapse, and haemorrhoids. Bowel and bladder problems can add to a marked reduction in the quality of life.

These pelvic floor disorders may also be much more common that was supposed. Adelaide University researchers, in the first comprehensive study of its kind in the world, have found a remarkably high prevalence of pelvic floor disorders in the general population.

Pelvic floor problems have traditionally been associated with pregnancy, the bearing of large numbers of children and with having them delivered by instrument. Delivery by caesarean section has been supposed to lessen the chances of resulting pelvic floor disorders, but the researchers discovered that birth by caesarean section reduces those risks only slightly.

Most of these complaints were still common among women who had never had a vaginal birth.

"It seems that caesarean section, contrary to popular belief, cannot avoid permanent connective tissue changes that seem to happen during pregnancy," said Associate Professor Alastair MacLennan of the University’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

"Pelvic floor exercises and surgery can help," said Professor MacLennan, "but unless mothers avoid giving birth, by means such as surrogacy or adoption, future pelvic floor problems after pregnancy are very likely," he said.

The cross-sectional population survey involved more than 3,000 South Australians.

Urinary incontinence was found in 4% of men, but in 35% of women aged from 15 to 95, increasing to 50% among older women..

More than 14% of women were found to suffer from rectal incontinence of flatus or faeces, while fewer than 10% of men suffered from the s