Table 2.
Bowel Symptoms of 937 study participants, by exposure group
| Symptomsa | Sphincter Tear (n= 90) | Vaginal Control (n=320) | Cesarean Control (n=527) | P-valueb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AI Score | 0.011 | |||
| 0 | 59 (66%) | 245 (77%) | 427 (81%) | |
| > 0, < 22.8 | 14 (16%) | 44 (14%) | 52 (10%) | |
| ≥ 22.8 (Anal Incontinence) | 17 (19%) | 31 (10%) | 48 (9%) | |
| OR (95% CI)c | 2.32 (1.27, 4.26) | 1.07 (0.67, 1.72) | 1 (ref) | |
| Ever lose gas beyond your control? | 28 (31%) | 73 (23%) | 80 (15%) | <0.001 |
| OR (95% CI)c | 2.52 (1.52, 4.18) | 1.65 (1.16, 2.35) | 1 (ref) | |
| How much are you bothered by losing gas? (n=181) | 57.0 (22.0, 94.0) | 30.0 (19.0, 70.0) | 50.0 (17.5, 82.0) | 0.241 |
| Ever lose liquid stool beyond your control? | 15 (17%) | 24 (8%) | 39 (7%) | 0.020 |
| OR (95% CI)c | 2.50 (1.32, 4.76) | 1.02 (0.60, 1.72) | 1 (ref) | |
| How much are you bothered by losing liquid stool? (n=78) | 90.0 (60.0, 100.0) | 50.0 (4.5, 83.5) | 66.0 (37.0, 97.0) | 0.030 |
| Ever lose well-formed stool beyond your control? | 4 (4%) | 0(0%) | 6 (1%) | 0.003 |
| OR (95% CI)c | 4.04 (1.12, 14.61) | N/A | 1(ref) | |
| How much are you bothered by loss of well-formed stool? (n=10) | 52.5 (24.0, 80.0) | 0.0 (NA) | 50.0 (5.0, 79.0) | 0.831 |
| Ever have difficulty having a bowel movement? | 24 (27%) | 97 (30%) | 197 (37%) | 0.034 |
| OR (95% CI)c | 0.61 (0.37, 1.00) | 0.73 (0.54, 0.98) | 1 (ref) | |
| Ever have to push on vagina/rectum to have bowel movement? | 14 (16%) | 54 (17%) | 92 (17%) | 0.924 |
| OR (95% CI)c | 0.87 (0.47, 1.61) | 0.96 (0.66, 1.39) | 1 (ref) | |
| Wear liners, pads, etc., or do you change undergarments to protect clothes from loss of stool? | 8 (9%) | 8 (3%) | 13 (2%) | 0.013 |
| OR (95% CI)c | 3.86 (1.55, 9.59) | 1.01 (0.42, 2.47) | 1 (ref) | |
| Talked to healthcare professional for help with loss of stool or gas? | 8 (9%) | 15 (5%) | 30 (6%) | 0.496 |
| OR (95% CI)c | 1.62 (0.72, 3.65) | 0.82 (0.43, 1.54) | 1 (ref) | |
| Surgery to correct the loss of stool or gas? | 1 (1%) | 2 (1%) | 0 (0%) | 0.059 |
a
Data are presented as n(%), median (interquartile range), or Odds Ratio (95% Confidence Interval).
b
P-values were obtained using a Fisher's Exact test for categorical variables, and a Kruskal-Wallis test for continuous variables.
c
Unadjusted odds ratios were calculated using logistic regression.