Investigating difficulties during childbirth using anatomically based pelvic floor models

Abstract

There is preliminary evidence to suggest that female athletes involved in long term, high-intensity sport have a higher probability of experiencing prolonged second stage of labor compared to non-athletes [1]. The mechanisms underpinning this complication are unclear, but may depend on the size or tone of the pelvic floor muscles. This project aims to use mathematical modelling to study the relationships between the size and tone of the pelvic floor muscles and the level of difficulty during childbirth. We obtained sets of MR images of the pelvic floor region for a female athlete and a female non-athlete. Thirteen components of the pelvic floor were manually segmented and these data were used to generate finite element (FE) models. The shape of the fetal head was obtained by laser scanning a skull replica, and a FE model was fitted to these data. We used contact mechanics to simulate the motion of the fetal head moving through the pelvic floor. We are using this framework with anatomically based, individual-specific pelvic floor models in order to investigate mechanisms related to difficulties during childbirth and thus compare differences between athletes and non-athletes. We will present results of simulations addressing the hypotheses that there is a correlation between the level of difficulty and the size or tone of the pelvic floor muscles. [1] Kruger, J., Murphy, B. and Thompson S. Childbirth and sportswomen. Vision, 2006, 14 (2), p.7-15.