Viscous effects in pelvic floor muscles during childbirth: A numerical study

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2018

Authors

Maria Vila Pouca (Author) FEUP; João Ferreira (Author) FEUP; Dulce Oliveira (Author) FEUP; Parente, MPL (Author) FEUP; Renato Natal Jorge (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: International Journal for Numerical Methods in Biomedical Engineering

Vol. 34 No. 3

Pages: 1-10

ISSN: 2040-7939

Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 8 Citations

Scopus - 8 Citations

INSPEC

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00N-RDZ

DOI: 10.1002/cnm.2927

Abstract (EN): During vaginal delivery, women sustain stretching of their pelvic floor, risking tissue injury and adverse outcomes. Realistic numerical simulations of childbirth can help in the understanding of the pelvic floor mechanics and on the prevention of related disorders. In previous studies, biomechanical finite element simulations of a vaginal delivery have been performed disregarding the viscous effects present on all biological soft tissues. The inclusion of the viscoelastic behaviour is fundamental, since it allows to investigate rate-dependent responses. The present work uses a viscohyperelastic constitutive model to evaluate how the childbirth duration affects the efforts sustained by the pelvic floor during delivery. It was concluded that viscoelasticity adds a stiffness component that leads to higher forces comparing with the elastic response. Viscous solutions are rate dependent, and precipitous labours could be associated to higher efforts, while lower reaction forces were denoted for normal and prolonged labours, respectively. The existence of resting stages during labour demonstrated the capability of the tissue to relax and recover some of the initial properties, which helped to lower the forces and stresses involved. The present work represents a step further in achieving a robust non-invasive procedure, allowing to estimate how obstetrical factors influence labour and its outcomes.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 10