Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of intervention, control, and non-participant groups. Figures are number (percentage) of women unless stated otherwise. Not all data were available for all women
| Intervention (n=371) | Control (n=376) | Non-participants (n=1885) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Centre: | |||
| Dunedin | 54 | 60 | 247 |
| Birmingham | 145 | 142 | 1023 |
| Aberdeen | 172 | 174 | 615 |
| Mean (SD) age (years) | 29.6 (5.2) | 29.4 (5.1) | 28.4 (5.4) |
| Primiparous | 134 (36.7) | 139 (37.6) | 735 (39.4) |
| Incontinence before index pregnancy: | |||
| Primiparas | 14 (10.4) | 10 (7.2) | 81 (11.0) |
| Multiparas | 121 (52.4) | 112 (48.5) | 455 (40.3) |
| Method of delivery: | |||
| Spontaneous vaginal | 285 (78.3) | 291 (78.6) | 1347 (72.3) |
| Assisted vaginal* | 50 (13.7) | 51 (13.8) | 291 (15.6) |
| Caesarean section† | 29 (8.0) | 28 (7.6) | 226 (12.1) |
| Perineum: | |||
| Intact | 124 (34.4) | 128 (35.9) | 754 (42.1) |
| Tear | 154 (42.8) | 160 (44.8) | 640 (35.8) |
| Episiotomy (with or without tear) | 82 (22.8) | 69 (19.3) | 395 (22.1) |
| Mean (SD) birthweight (g) | 3478 (505) | 3416 (523) | 3389 (584) |
| Severe incontinence (at least once a week) | 212 (57.1) | 204 (54.3) | 882 (46.8) |
| Type of incontinence: | |||
| Stress only | 199 (54.1) | 187 (51.3) | 1003 (54.6) |
| Urge only | 53 (14.4) | 61 (16.8) | 308 (16.8) |
| Mixed | 116 (31.5) | 116 (31.9) | 526 (28.6) |
| Faecal incontinence (motions) | 57 (16.3) | 54 (15.1) | 259 (14.8) |
| Mean (SD) anxiety score‡ | 6.9 (3.78) | 7.0 (3.76) | 7.25 (3.76) |
| Mean (SD) depression score‡ | 6.18 (3.89) | 5.84 (3.66) | 6.69 (3.97) |
*
Breech, vacuum/ventouse, forceps.
†
Of these 12, 13, and 103, respectively, were elective.
‡
Derived from hospital anxiety and depression scale.14