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Are women with cervical incompetence at a higher risk of experiencing urinary and pelvic organ prolapse symptoms?

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Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTs), in addition to cervical incompetence, have a multifactorial etiology. Connective tissue disorders are common risk factors in both entities. The objective of this study was to compare long-term urinary and pelvic organ prolapse-related symptoms in patients who experienced cervical incompetence and those who did not.

Methods

In this historical prospective cohort, analysis of cervical incompetence cases from one medical center between 2006 and 2009 were compared with a matched control group. All cases included a minimum 7-year follow-up. Symptoms of urinary and prolapse-related complaints during follow-up were evaluated based on the Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory-20 questionnaire.

Results

The study group comprised 37 women who experienced cervical incompetence matched to 34 consecutive controls. There was no difference between the groups in demographic or obstetric characteristics, except for a higher cesarean section rate and earlier deliveries among women with cervical incompetence. On assessment of patient’s symptoms, during follow-up, the average Pelvic Organ Prolapse Distress Inventory-6 score was significantly higher in patients who experienced cervical incompetence than in controls (15.0 ± 26.1 vs 1.7 ± 7.1 respectively, p = 0.034). Urinary complaints, as reflected by the Urinary Distress Inventory-6 index, were also more common in women with cervical incompetence (17.9 ± 19.1 vs 3.9 ± 7.3 p = 0.027).

Conclusions

Women with a history of cervical incompetence experienced a higher rate of pelvic organ prolapse and urinary symptoms compared with women who had no cervical insufficiency.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Affiliated to the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, P.O. Box 5, 58100, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Masha Ben-Zvi, Hadas Ganer Herman, Jacob Bar, Alexander Condrea & Shimon Ginath

Authors
  1. Masha Ben-Zvi
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  2. Hadas Ganer Herman
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  3. Jacob Bar
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  4. Alexander Condrea
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  5. Shimon Ginath
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Correspondence to Masha Ben-Zvi.

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Ben-Zvi, M., Herman, H.G., Bar, J. et al. Are women with cervical incompetence at a higher risk of experiencing urinary and pelvic organ prolapse symptoms?. Int Urogynecol J 31, 385–389 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-019-03979-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-019-03979-w

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