Knowledge of pelvic floor disorders in young women: a cross-sectional study

To identify the level of knowledge of young women about pelvic floor muscles (PFM) anatomy and function, pelvic floor muscle dysfunction (PFMD), pelvic organ prolapse (POP), and sexual dysfunction (SD).

Methods:

This is a cross-sectional study. Two hundred forty-two (242) young women from first to the third year of high school from ten public schools, in geographically disparate areas of a Brazilian county serving economic minority student populations, participated in the study. Data analysis was performed using SPSS 20.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL). The categorical data were expressed as absolute and relative frequency.

Results:

Only 28% of the young women knew PFM, and 26% answered to be able to contract these muscles. The prevalence of urinary incontinence was 16%, while 5% reported fecal incontinence. The previous knowledge about POP was similar between bladder and uterus prolapse, 34% and 40%, respectively. SD was known by 48% of the young women. Seventy-seven young women (31.8%) declared to have had sexual intercourse. Ten percent declared difficulties to allow vaginal penetration, and 48% of those who were able to have penetration declared that they experienced pain and discomfort.

Conclusion:

Young women have little knowledge about the PFM anatomy and function, PFMD, POP, and SD. In addition, they have complaints related to sexual practice, such as difficulty during vaginal penetration and pain.

Keywords:
Adolescent; Health education; Pelvic floor disorders; Primary prevention; Women’s health

Questions	Yes (%)	No (%)	n/a (%)
Do you know about pelvic floor muscles?	28	72	-
Do you know the pelvic floor muscles function?	26	2	72
Are you able to perform pelvic floor muscles contractions?	26	1	73
Do you know about women that leak urine when cough, jump, laugh or after a sudden and strong need to urinate?	51	49	-
Do you know if any women in your family leak urine unintentionally?	22	29	49
Do you leak urine unintentionally?	16	73	11
Do you know about women that leak stool when cough, jump, laugh or after a sudden and strong need to evacuate?	21	79	-
Do you know if any women in your family leak stool unintentionally?	9	12	79
Do you leak stool unintentionally?	5	61	34
Do you know about women who present a dropped bladder?	34	66	-
Do you know if your relatives present a dropped bladder?	15	19	66
Do you know about women who present dropped uterus?	40	56	4
Do you know if your relatives present dropped uterus?	15	25	60
Do you know about women who experience pain or are not able to have sexual intercourse?	48	52	-
Do you know if your relatives had ever reported those sexual difficulties?	10	38	52
Are you able to allow penetration?^* * This domain was performed in young women who had sexual intercourse (n = 77).	90	10	-
Have you ever experienced pain or discomfort during sexual intercourse?^ This domain was performed in young women who had sexual intercourse and were able to have penetration (n = 69).	48	52	-

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E-mail: revista.fisioterapia@pucpr.br

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[1] *Correspondence: angelicapascon@gmail.com