Pelvic floor complaint profiles in young adult women: a file review study in pelvic physical therapy practices in the Netherlands

Background
Many patients with pelvic floor complaints, including urinary and fecal incontinence, micturition and defecation problems, pelvic organ prolapses, pelvic pain, and painful intercourse, receive pelvic physical therapy treatment. Based on available evidence, pelvic floor complaint profiles, including these complaints, have not been investigated but may help to enhance therapists’ clinical reasoning and patients’ understanding and self-disclosure.
Aim
This retrospective file review study explores preliminary complaint profiles and associations between pelvic floor complaints.
Method
Pelvic physical therapists entered recorded pelvic floor complaints from self-selected pregnant, parous, and nulliparous patients’ files in an online survey. Descriptive statistics and correlations were calculated, and latent class analysis was performed to gain insight into pelvic floor complaint profiles and their associations with pregnancy and parity.
Results
A model with five profiles was selected based on statistical and theoretical selection criteria. One profile was characterized by pelvic pain, one by defecation and micturition problems, one by fecal incontinence and defecation problems, another by pelvic organ prolapses and urinary incontinence, and one by painful intercourse and micturition problems. The first and second profiles appeared most characteristic for pregnant, the third and fourth for parous, and the fifth for nulliparous patients.
Conclusion
The identified profiles may facilitate the inclusion and understanding of etiological factors for combined pelvic floor complaints in clinical practice and scientific research. Addressing pelvic floor complaints in profiles may help pelvic healthcare providers during their history-taking, enhance multidisciplinary treatment approaches, and help patients understand experienced combinations of pelvic floor complaints. This may ultimately benefit women’s pelvic health.