Introduction: Faecal incontinence is more common in parous women who have had a difficult vaginal delivery. However, the pathophysiology of the injury resulting in faecal incontinence in such women is incompletely understood. This study therefore aimed to compare anal canal and pelvic floor parameters between continent and incontinent women and measure these during pregnancy and after delivery in order to more fully understand the initial insult to the pelvic floor. Methods: Anal manometry and fatigue (using a water-filled microballoon) and pelvic floor strength and fatigue (using an air-filled vaginal probe connected to a Peritron) were measured in 30 primiparous women at booking, end of pregnancy and 6 months post partum. Ten of these women also underwent measurement of pelvis size using ultrasound. A further 61 women, 39 incontinent and 22 continent, also underwent these measurements in order to compare pelvic floor parameters between continent and incontinent women. Results: Voluntary contraction of the external anal sphincter (EAS) was significantly lower 11 weeks post partum than antenatal values (106.5 ± 43.6 cmH2O antenatally vs 75.5 ± 45.6 cmH2O post partum, p < 0.001) but there was no significant difference between antenatal values and those measured 6 months post partum (p = 0.24). Anal fatigue rate was significantly slower 11 weeks post partum (p = 0.001), but by six months post partum the difference is no longer significant (p = 0.053). Pelvic floor muscle (PFM) strength fell with age and was significantly lower in incontinent women (8.97 ± 12.88 cmH2O) than incontinent women (27.17 ± 18.16 cmH2O; p < 0.001). PFM fatigue rate was also significantly slower in incontinent women (p = 0.01). The PFM strength was significantly higher in nulliparous than parous women (p = 0.002) and fatigue rate was faster (p = 0.022). PFM strength (p = 0.006) and fatigue rate (p =0.004) were significantly lower six months post partum when compared with antenatal values. It was shown that pelvis size can be measured using ultrasound and was found to be repeatable, but inaccurate when compared with magnetic resonance imaging. Insufficient numbers were studied to show an effect on pelvic floor function. Conclusion: Vaginal delivery causes impairment of EAS voluntary contraction which appears to have recovered by six months post partum. It also causes impairment of PFM contraction which is persistent at six months post partum. The reduced PFM function seen post partum also occurs in incontinent women, adding to the evidence that childbirth causes the initial insult to the pelvic floor which results in faecal incontinence, either immediately or some years later.

Dog breeders invest a lot of time and money into breeding efforts and it is important for veterinarians to assist clients in achieving a successful outcome of a breeding attempt. Being able to predict when a bitch is likely to whelp will assist the owner in managing the pre-parturient bitch optimally—via a well-timed restricted observation period which would allow for a timely intervention, when needed, to prevent unnecessary foetal loss. Studies aimed at predicting the parturition dates in bitches used foetal measurements and applied formulas to specific breeds or bitches in predetermined weight categories. The aim of this study was to predict the parturition date in bitches based on measurements, taken during the ampullary phase of gestation, which are not influenced by the size of the foetus, which in turn is influenced by the breed and size of the sire and dam. Various measurements of extrafoetal fluid compartments of the conceptus in an axial longitudinal view (ALV) and in an equatorial transverse view (ETV) were recorded daily between 17 and 32 days after the onset of cytological dioestrus. Measurements were categorised as direct variables (a measured datum) or relative variables (the relationship between measured data) . A linear function was used to generate models to predict the day of parturition using either the direct or relative predictor variables. Some of the measurements were excluded from the data used to generate the models, and these values were used to test the accuracy of the generated models in predicting the day of parturition in bitches. This study, using the model for direct variables, predicted the day of parturition accurately in 62% of bitches, within one day in 94% of bitches and within two days in all bitches. The model for relative variable predicted the day of parturition within one day in 56% of bitches, within two days in 81% of bitches and within three days in all bitches. / Mini Dissertation (MMedVet)--University of Pretoria, 2020. / Production Animal Studies / MMedVet / Unrestricted

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Parity status is a supplemental element of the biological profile in forensic anthropology. The pelvis is thought to exhibit alterations to the bone from pregnancy. Two features of the pelvis have been studied for signs of parturition or past pregnancy. The features have been studied with varying results. They include the pubic bone (Bergfelder and Herrmann, 1980, Cox and Scott, 1992) and the preauricular sulcus (Houghton, 1974, Dee, 1981). Maass and Friedling (2014) also looked at the interosseous groove and the iliac tuberosity. This study was modeled on Snodgrass and Galloway (2003) that investigated whether or not parity status can be determined by analyzing several areas of the pubic bone for different traits. Snodgrass and Galloway assessed the dorsal surface of the pubic bone for pitting and measured the height of the pubic tubercle. They also rearticulated the pelves of each subject and measured the arcuate angle. For the current study, a sample of 75 females from the William M. Bass Skeletal Collection at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville was examined. The height of the pubic tubercle and its distance from the symphyseal face was measured bilaterally for each individual. Also, the dorsal surface of each pubic bone was visually assessed for the presence or absence of pitting. Data analysis was then conducted comparing each of these features with parity status. BMI was also calculated for each individual and compared with the three features listed above. There were no correlations found between height of the pubic tubercle, distance of the pubic tubercle, dorsal pitting and parity status. The lack of a correlation between any of the features and parity status make them unusable in forensic applications.

In cattle and sheep, a significant decrease in temperature has been noted prior to parturition. In the mare, similar temperature decreases have been documented, although results have been inconsistent when temperatures were taken rectally. One study reported a significant temperature decrease when using data from a radio transmitter inserted into the mare’s flank. The current study utilized nineteen Quarter Horse mares and one Thoroughbred mare, and was conducted from February to June 2006. Each mare had been previously implanted in the nuchal ligament with a microchip capable of reporting body temperatures. Blood collection and temperature recordings began 2 wk prior to each mare’s expected foaling date. Once the mare was estimated to be within 48 h of parturition, temperature was recorded every 3 h until parturition using both the microchip and rectal thermometer. Progesterone and estradiol 17-b were evaluated from daily blood samples from -10 to ± 5 d relative to foaling for determination of the relationship between these steroids and body temperature, time of foaling, birth weight and sex of foal. A significant decrease in rectal temperature (P < 0.05) was noted when the last temperature recorded was taken within 12h of parturition. Microchip data did not demonstrate any significant differences among readings before parturition. No significant difference was noted in the mean rectal temperature of all days relative to the sex of the neonate; however, microchip data showed mares carrying females to have a significantly (P < 0.05) higher mean rectal temperature of all days. Sex of the foal was not shown to be related to maternal concentrations of either progesterone or estradiol 17- b. A direct significant correlation between temperature and maternal plasma concentrations and progesterone and estradiol 17-b was found.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Virginia Commonwealth University, 2009. / Prepared for: Dept. of Maternal Child Nursing. Title from title-page of electronic thesis. Bibliography: leaves 104-116.

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Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Rhode Island, 2009. / Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 167-179).