Effect of a Postpartum Training Program on the Prevalence of Diastasis Recti Abdominis in Postpartum Primiparous Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Diastasis recti abdominis affects a significant number of women during the prenatal and postnatal period. Objective: The objective was to evaluate the effect of a postpartum training program on the prevalence of diastasis recti abdominis. Design: The design was a secondary analysis of an assessor-masked randomized controlled trial. Methods: One hundred seventy-five primiparous women (mean age = 29.8 ± 4.1 years) were randomized to an exercise or control group. The interrectus distance was palpated using finger widths, with a cutoff point for diastasis as ≥2 finger widths. Measures were taken 4.5 cm above, at, and 4.5 cm below the umbilicus. The 4-month intervention started 6 weeks postpartum and consisted of a weekly, supervised exercise class focusing on strength training of the pelvic floor muscles. In addition, the women were asked to perform daily pelvic floor muscle training at home. The control group received no intervention. Analyses were based on intention to treat. The Mantel-Haenszel test (relative risk [RR] ratio) and the chi-square test for independence were used to evaluate between-group differences on categorical data. Results: At 6 weeks postpartum, 55.2% and 54.5% of the participants were diagnosed with diastasis in the intervention and control groups, respectively. No significant differences between groups in prevalence were found at baseline (RR: 1.01 [0.77-1.32]), at 6 months postpartum (RR: 0.99 [0.71-1.38]), or at 12 months postpartum (RR: 1.04 [0.73-1.49]). Limitations: The interrecti distance was palpated using finger widths, and the sample included women with and without diastasis. Conclusions: A weekly, postpartum, supervised exercise program, including strength training of the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles, in addition to daily home training of the pelvic floor muscles, did not reduce the prevalence of diastasis.

Late-week surgical treatment of endometrial cancer is associated with worse long-term outcome: Results from a prospective, multicenter study.

Surgery is the cornerstone in primary endometrial cancer treatment, and with curative intent it constitutes total hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oopherectomy. In addition, lymphadenectomy is performed in selected patients dependent on a preoperative risk assessment. Recent reports from the surgical approach to esophageal cancer reveal worse outcome when esophagectomy is performed later in the week. On this basis, we set out to explore weekday of surgery in relation to long-term outcome in 1302 endometrial cancer patients prospectively included in the MoMaTEC multicenter study. Day of surgery was dichotomized as early-week (Monday-Tuesday) or late-week (Wednesday-Friday), and evaluated as a discrete variable. Adjusted for patient age, Body Mass Index (BMI), FIGO stage, and histology, surgery performed later in the week was associated with 50.9% increased risk of all-cause death (p = 0.029). Among high-stage patients (FIGO stage III and IV), 5-year disease-specific survival proportions were 53.0% for early-week operated vs. 40.2% for late-week operated (p = 0.005 for difference). In multivariate survival analysis of high-stage patients, late-week surgery correlated with an increased risk of disease-specific death by 88.7% and all-cause death by 76.4% (p<0.017). Evaluating only patients who underwent lymphadenectomy, the adverse prognostic effect of being operated late-week remained for both disease-specific and all-cause death (HR 2.151 and HR 1.912, p = 0.004). Whether surgery was performed early- or late-week was not influenced by patient age, BMI, preoperative histology risk classification, FIGO stage or postoperative histology (all p>0.05). In conclusion, endometrial cancer surgery conducted late-week is associated with worse long-term outcome. Our findings are most evident among patients with higher FIGO stages, and patients who underwent more extensive surgical procedure (lymphadenectomy). With support from other studies, our results suggest that high-risk patients may benefit from surgery earlier in the week.

Constriction of the levator hiatus during instruction of pelvic floor or transversus abdominis contraction: a 4D ultrasound study.

A new theory claims that the pelvic floor muscles (PFM) can be trained via the transversus abdominis (TrA). The aim of the present study was to compare the effect of instruction of PFM and TrA contraction on constriction of the levator hiatus, using 4D perineal ultrasonography. Thirteen women with pelvic organ prolapse participated in the study. Perineal ultrasound in standing position was used to assess constriction of the levator hiatus. Analyses were conducted off-line with measurements in the axial plane of minimal hiatal dimensions. The reduction of all the hiatal dimensions was significantly greater during PFM than TrA contraction. All patients had a reduction of the levator hiatus area during PFM contraction (mean reduction 24.0%; range 6.1-49.2%). In two patients, there was an increase of the levator hiatus area during TrA contraction. Instruction of PFM contraction is more effective than TrA contraction.