Gestational diabetes is associated with alteration on pelvic floor muscle activation pattern during pregnancy and postpartum: Prospective cohort using electromyography assessment.

Background and objective: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a comorbidity which may cause acute and lifelong disorders to mother and child. Alterations in muscular and connective tissues have been associated with GDM in translation studies, characterizing gestational diabetic myopathy. Pregnancy-specific urinary incontinence and sexual disabilities, disorders that depend on the pelvic floor muscle (PFM) integrity, are also associated with GDM both during and after pregnancy. The aim was to compare PFM activation patterns between GDM and non-GDM women from 24-30 gestational weeks to 18-24 months postpartum during a standard clinical test during gestation and postpartum. Methods: We conducted a prospective three-time-point cohort study from gestation (24-30 weeks-T1, and 36-38 weeks-T2) to 18-24 months postpartum (T3). PFM electromyography was recorded in primigravida or primiparous women with one previous elective c-section with or without the diagnosis of GDM according to the American Diabetes Association criteria. A careful explanation of the muscle anatomy and functionality of the PFM was given to participants before EMG assessment. The outcome measures were PFM activation patterns assessed during pregnancy and postpartum, comparing intra and between groups. PFM activation patterns were assessed by normalized electromyography signal at rest and during 1-second (sec) phasic, 10-sec hold, and 60-sec sustained contractions. Results: Demographic and obstetric data showed homogeneity between groups. The GDM group achieved peak PFM EMG amplitudes similarly to the non-GDM group, but they took longer to return to baseline levels during the ~1-sec contraction (flicks). During 10-sec hold contractions, the GDM group sustained lower levels of PFM activation than the non-GDM group at both 36-38 weeks of gestation and 18-24 months postpartum when compared to the non-GDM group. Conclusion: The results suggest that GDM impaired PFM control mainly on 1-sec flicks and 10-sec hold contraction, which appears to develop during late pregnancy and extends long-term postpartum. This motor behavior may play a role on pelvic floor dysfunctions.

Relaxin-2 during pregnancy according to glycemia, continence status, and pelvic floor muscle function.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: To investigate relaxin-2 concentration comparing gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and non-GDM patients during pregnancy according to urinary incontinence (UI) and pelvic function status. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study evaluating 282 pregnant women from 24 weeks of gestation. The participants were divided into two groups, non-GDM and GDM, according to American Diabetes Association's diabetes mellitus gestational threshold. In addition, according to subanalysis, both groups were subdivided according to the presence of pregnancy-specific urinary incontinence: non-GDM continent, non-GDM incontinent, GDM continent, and GDM incontinent. All participants filled in questionnaires on clinical, obstetric, and urinary continence status (International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Short Form, ICIQ-SF, and Incontinence Severity Index, ISI), followed by pelvic floor muscle evaluation by the PERFECT scheme in which strength, endurance, and speed of contractions were evaluated. RESULTS: Serum relaxin-2 concentrations were significantly lower in pregnant women with pregnancy-specific urinary incontinence in both non-GDM and GDM patients, but GDM showed the lowest concentration. In addition, the stratification of the groups according to pelvic floor muscle strength showed that pregnant patients with GDM and modified Oxford scale 0-2 had significantly lower levels than those who were non-GDM and GDM with Modified Oxford Scale 3-5. Relaxin-2 level was much lower in GDM incontinent pregnant women with MOS 0-2 compared to the other three groups. CONCLUSIONS: Lower relaxin-2 concentration was associated with the presence of pregnancy-specific urinary incontinence, but the combination of GDM, pregnancy-specific urinary incontinence, and lower levels of pelvic floor strength led to lower levels of relaxin-2 compared to the other three groups.

Effectiveness of the pelvic floor muscle training on muscular dysfunction and pregnancy specific urinary incontinence in pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus: A systematic review protocol.

BACKGROUND: There is ample evidence that gestational diabetes mellitus has a direct influence on urinary incontinence and pelvic floor muscles. There are no standardized pelvic floor muscle exercise programs in the literature for the physiotherapy and differ in the type of exercise, intensity, type and duration of application, and the frequency and duration of treatment sessions. The aim of this systematic review will be to investigate that Pelvic Floor Muscle Training can prevent and/or decrease the pregnancy specific urinary incontinence in women with gestational diabetes mellitus or gestational hyperglycemia. METHODS: We will perform a systematic review according to the Cochrane methodology of Randomized Controlled Trials. An overall search strategy will be developed and adapted for Embase, MEDLINE, LILACS, and CENTRAL databases, with the date of consultation until June 2020. The MeSH terms used will be "Pregnancy", "Hyperglycemia", "Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2", "Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1", "Pregnancy in Diabetics", "Diabetes, Gestational", "Urinary Incontinence", "Pelvic Floor Muscle Strength". Primary outcomes: improvement or cure of pregnancy specific urinary incontinence (which can be assessed by questionnaires, and tools such as tampon test, voiding diary, urodynamic study). Secondary outcomes: improvement of pelvic floor muscle strength (pelvic floor functional assessment, perineometer, electromyography, functional ultrasonography), improved quality of life (questionnaires), presence or absence of postpartum Urinary Incontinence and adverse effects. Quality assessment by Cochrane instrument. Metanalysis if plausible, will be performed by the software Review Manager 5.3. DISCUSSION: The present study will be the first to analyze the effectiveness of pelvic floor exercises in pregnant women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus or Hyperglycemia, who suffer from pregnancy specific urinary incontinence. Randomized Controlled Trials design will be chosen because they present the highest level of evidence. It is expected to obtain robust and conclusive evidence to support clinical practice, in addition to promoting studies on the theme and contributing to new studies. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42017065281.