• Colleen M Fitzgerald, Lynette R Santos, and Trudy Mallinson.
• Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Women's Health Rehabilitation Program, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, USA. cfitzgerald@ric.org
• Int J Gynaecol Obstet. 2012 Jun 1; 117 (3): 248-50.

ObjectiveTo examine the association among pelvic girdle pain (PGP), urinary incontinence (UI), and pelvic floor muscle (PFM) function in pregnant women in the second trimester.MethodsFifty-five pregnant women (29 with PGP and 26 without) were enrolled. Urinary incontinence was measured via the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form. Vaginal examination assessed PFM contract-relax patterns and muscle strength.ResultsOverall, 51 women (26 with PGP and 25 without) were included in the final analyses. After controlling for PFM muscle strength, women with PGP were significantly more likely to have UI (P=0.03). After controlling for pain status, having little or no PFM contraction was significantly associated with UI (P=0.03). There was no association between PGP and PFM weakness.ConclusionThere was an association between PGP and UI and between UI and PFM weakness among the study participants. Lack of PFM weakness in women with PGP during pregnancy may reflect acuity of pain or measurement error.Copyright © 2012 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

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