Table 4.
A comparison of changes in bowel symptom frequency and Manchester Health Questionnaire (MHQ) quality-of-life (QoL) scores pre- and post-subsequent birth, for vaginal birth versus caesarean section, number (%)
| Mode of birth—vaginal (n = 74) | Mode of birth—caesarean section (n = 51) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Postnatal MHQ bowel frequency compared with antenatal MHQ bowel frequency | Postnatal MHQ bowel frequency compared with antenatal MHQ bowel frequency | ||||||
| Worsened | No change | Improved | Worsened | No change | Improved | p value | |
| Bowel function following study birth | |||||||
| Bowel urgency | 20 (27.0) | 34 (46.0) | 20 (27.0) | 8 (15.7) | 24 (47.1) | 19 (37.2) | 0.265 |
| Poor control of flatus | 15 (20.3) | 41 (55.4) | 18 (24.3) | 8 (15.7) | 29 (56.9) | 14 (27.4) | 0.800 |
| Difficulty with wiping clean | 2 (2.7) | 69 (93.2) | 3 (4.1) | 1 (2.0) | 47 (92.2) | 3 (5.8) | 0.865 |
| Faecal leakage—any | 9 (12.2) | 58 (78.4) | 7 (9.4) | 4 (7.8) | 38 (74.5) | 9 (17.7) | 0.345 |
| MHQ QoL domain | |||||||
| General health perception | 9 (12.2) | 43 (58.1) | 22 (29.7) | 5 (9.8) | 29 (56.9) | 17 (33.3) | 0.897 |
| Incontinence impact | 14 (18.9) | 47 (63.5) | 13 (17.6) | 5 (9.8) | 32 (62.8) | 14 (27.5) | 0.235 |
| Role limitations | 11 (14.9) | 57 (77.0) | 6 (8.1) | 6 (11.8) | 39 (76.5) | 6 (11.8) | 0.699 |
| Physical limitations | 2 (2.7) | 63 (85.1) | 9 (12.2) | 6 (11.8) | 36 (70.6) | 9 (17.7) | 0.077 |
| Social limitations | 4 (5.4) | 64 (86.5) | 6 (8.1) | 3 (5.9) | 43 (84.3) | 5 (9.8) | 0.927 |
| Personal relationships | 5 (6.8) | 63 (85.1) | 6 (8.1) | 2 (3.9) | 43 (84.3) | 6 (11.8) | 0.691 |
| Emotions | 11 (14.9) | 52 (70.3) | 11 (14.9) | 3 (5.9) | 41 (80.4) | 7 (13.7) | 0.292 |
| Sleep/energy | 2 (2.7) | 65 (87.8) | 7 (9.5) | 3 (5.9) | 43 (84.3) | 5 (9.8) | 0.713 |
| Severity measure | 5 (6.8) | 55 (74.3) | 14 (18.9) | 6 (11.8) | 33 (64.7) | 12 (23.3) | 0.421 |
MHQ Manchester Health Questionnaire, QoL quality of life