Relationships of diastasis recti abdominis with stress urinary incontinence and pelvic floor muscle dysfunction in postpartum women

Objectives: To determine whether diastasis of the rectus abdominis muscles was related to stress urinary incontinence, dysfunction of pelvic floor muscles, and of hiatal area size in postpartum women. Study design: This observational prospective study included 150 women from 6 weeks to 6 months postpartum, with a mean age of 33.1 years. Diastasis Recti Abdominis is a condition in which the abdominal muscles are separated by an increased inter-rectus distance due to widening of the linea alba, measured using 2D ultrasound. Pelvic floor muscle function was examined using manometry, and the size of the hiatal area was examined using 3D/4D ultrasonography. Stress urinary incontinence symptoms were assessed using the International Incontinence Consultation Questionnaire (ICIQ-UI SF). Results: We identified a significant weak correlation between diastasis of the rectus abdominis and symptoms of stress urinary incontinence (r = 0.283). We also found weak significant correlations of diastasis of the rectus abdominis with the maximum voluntary contraction (r =-0.278) and with the duration voluntary contraction (r =-0.274). No correlation was found between diastasis of the rectus abdominis and size of the hiatal area. Conclusions: Diastasis of the rectus abdominis was weakly related to stress urinary incontinence and also to pelvic floor muscle dysfunction.