Simulation of the uterine contractions and foetus expulsion using a chemo-mechanical constitutive model

• Tipo: Artigo em Revista Científica Internacional
• Data: 2019

Autores

M. C. P. Vila Pouca (Autor) Outra; João P. S. Ferreira (Autor) Outra; Dulce A. Oliveira (Autor) Outra; Parente, MPL (Autor) FEUP; Maria Teresa Mascarenhas (Autor) Outra; Renato Natal Jorge (Autor) FEUP

Revista

Título: Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology

Vol. 18 Nº 3

Páginas: 829-843

ISSN: 1617-7959

Editora: Springer Nature

Indexação

ISI Web of Knowledge - 6 Citações

Scopus - 6 Citações

Outras Informações

ID Authenticus: P-00Q-2HJ

DOI: 10.1007/s10237-019-01117-5

Abstract (EN): During vaginal delivery women sustain stretching of their pelvic floor, risking tissue injury and adverse outcomes. Since studies in pregnant women are limited with ethical constraints, computational models have become an interesting alternative to elucidate the pregnancy mechanisms. This research investigates the uterine contractions during foetus expulsion without an imposed trajectory. Such physical process is captured by means of a chemo-mechanical constitutive model, where the uterine contractions are triggered by chemical stimuli. The foetus descent, which includes both pushing and resting stages, has a descent rate within the physiological range. Moreover, the behaviour of the foetus and the uterus stretch agree well with clinical data presented in the literature. The follow-up of this study will be to obtain a complete childbirth simulation, considering also the pelvic floor muscles and its supporting structures. The simulation of a realistic rate of descent, including the pushing and resting stages, is of significant importance to study the pelvic floor muscles due to their viscoelastic nature.

Idioma: Inglês

Tipo (Avaliação Docente): Científica

Nº de páginas: 15