Kimberly Hoover

Prevalence, Awareness, and Understanding of Pelvic Floor Disorders in Adolescent and Young Women.

Objectives The objective of this study was to characterize symptom prevalence, awareness of pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) in family/friends, and understanding of factors contributing to the development of PFDs in women aged 19 to 30 years. Methods This study is a cross-sectional study via online questionnaire survey of female students aged 19 to 30 years enrolled at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Results of “adolescent women” aged 19 to 24 years were compared with “young women” aged 25 to 30 years. Results A total of 1092 questionnaires were completed with the mean age being 23.5 ± 3.1 years. The overall rate of urinary incontinence (UI) was 10.3% without a difference between adolescent and young women (P = 0.61). There were no differences in rates of urgency UI (P = 0.061), stress UI (P = 0.29), or pelvic organ prolapse (POP) symptoms (P = 0.56) between groups. There was no difference between groups in awareness of family members with UI, fecal incontinence (FI), or POP symptoms (P ≥ 0.24). However, logistic regression showed that the young women were more likely to have received education regarding UI (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.6; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8–3.6), FI (aOR, 3.3; 95% CI, 2.2–4.8), POP (aOR, 2.9; 95% CI, 2.1–4.2), and have greater understanding regarding causes of UI (aOR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.7–4.8), FI (aOR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1–2.3), and POP (aOR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.3–2.9). Conclusions Women aged 25 to 30 years had more awareness and understanding of PFDs compared with adolescent women. These data may have implications for primary prevention strategies of PFDs.

Development of the Female Reproductive Tract and Associated Anomalies

Opinion statementAberrations in the development of the female reproductive tract result in an array of anomalies. Because of the wide range of possible anomalies, the presentation of women with congenital anomalies of the reproductive tract is highly variable. While some women are asymptomatic, others present with symptoms of pain, menstrual abnormality, recurrent pregnancy loss, and/or poor obstetric outcomes. When providing care for patients with anomalies of the female reproductive tract, it is critical to be sensitive to both the patient’s physical and psychological well-being. When an intervention is indicated, patient maturity, motivation, and ability to be an active participant in their care should be considered. Due to the rarity of some of the anomalies of the female reproductive tract, care at a center with special expertise in the care of these complex patients is at times warranted.