The effects of mode of delivery and time since birth on chronic pelvic pain and health-related quality of life

Abstract

Objective: To assess the effects of mode of delivery and time since birth on chronic pelvic pain (CPP) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among primiparous Chinese women.

Methods: Primiparous women of childbearing age who had given birth at least 6months previously were invited to participate in the present cross-sectional study, which was conducted from October 2011 to April 2012 in the Chaoyang District of Beijing. Time since birth was divided into the following 4 periods: less than 1year, 1-5years, 6-10years, and more than 10years. The factors associated with CPP status were analyzed using logistic regression.

Results: Among the 1456 participants, CPP was more common following cesarean delivery (11.2% versus 6.9% among women with a vaginal delivery; P=0.007), and the rate of CPP increased with time since birth (2.3%, 9.3%, 10.7%, and 13.1% for the 4 specified time periods, respectively (P<0.001). Cesarean delivery, longer time since birth, and CPP were all associated with a lower HRQoL utility score.

Conclusion: Although the absolute risks were small, cesarean delivery and time since birth were significant risk factors for CPP, which had a negative impact on the participants' HRQoL.

Keywords: Cesarean delivery; Chronic pelvic pain; Health-related quality of life; Mode of delivery; Time since birth.