In Vivo Assessment of the Elastic Properties of Women's Pelvic Floor During Pregnancy

Summary

Participation Requirements

Description

Each woman included in the princeps study undergo 3 visits during pregnancy (14-18 weeks, 24-28 weeks and 34-38 weeks). Each visit contain a clinical pelvic floor assessment (POP-Q), an ultrasound pelvic floor assessment, an ultrasound pelvic floor muscles (levator ani and external anal sphincter) v...

Each woman included in the princeps study undergo 3 visits during pregnancy (14-18 weeks, 24-28 weeks and 34-38 weeks). Each visit contain a clinical pelvic floor assessment (POP-Q), an ultrasound pelvic floor assessment, an ultrasound pelvic floor muscles (levator ani and external anal sphincter) viscoelastic properties assessment using shear wave elastography and an ultrasound peripheral muscles (biceps brachii and gastrocnemius medialis) using shear wave elastography. The main objective is to describe changes in viscoelastic properties of pelvic floor muscles during pregnancy. Secondary objectives are to compare muscular behavior of pelvic floor muscles and peripheral muscles during pregnancy. Data about the delivery are also collected in order to analyse preliminary data about the hypothetic association between viscoelastic properties of women's pelvic floor and both mode of delivery and perineal trauma at childbirth. An ancillary study involve non-pregnant nulliparous women in oder the investigate the reproducibility of shear wave elastography assessment of the levator ani muscle. Secondary objective is to investigate this reproducibility for biceps brachii and gastrocnemius medialis muscles.

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