Objectives: To evaluate urinary and fecal incontinence symptoms, and occult anal sphincter defects in women after vacuum and spontaneous vaginal delivery.
Study design: In a case-control study, 50 primiparous women delivered by vacuum extraction were compared to 50 women delivered spontaneously. Urinary and anal incontinence symptoms, pelvic floor muscle strength and sphincter defects on endoanal ultrasound were evaluated 6-24 weeks postpartum.
Results: New anal incontinence symptoms after childbirth were found in 30% of the vacuum group compared to 34% of the controls, new urinary incontinence symptoms in 28 and 42%, respectively (not significant). After excluding Grade III perineal tear, sonographic sphincter defects were found in 11 (27.5%) after vacuum delivery compared to 4 (10%) after spontaneous delivery (P<0.05, chi(2)-test).
Conclusion: Anal and urinary incontinence symptoms are frequent after vaginal delivery. Vacuum delivery causes more sonographic sphincter defects but appears to cause no more harm to pelvic floor function than spontaneous vaginal delivery.