Childbirth after pelvic floor surgery: analysis of Hospital Episode Statistics in England, 2002-2008

Abstract

Objective: To report the numbers of patients having childbirth after pelvic floor surgery in England.

Design: Retrospective analysis of Hospital Episode Statistics data.

Setting: Hospital Episode Statistics database.

Population: Women, aged 20-44 years, undergoing childbirth after pelvic floor surgery between the years 2002 and 2008.

Methods: Analysis of the Hospital Episode Statistics database using Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys: Classification of Interventions and Procedures, 4th Revision (OPCS-4) code at the four-character level for pelvic floor surgery and delivery, in women aged 20-44 years, between the years 2002 and 2008.

Main outcome measures: Numbers of women having delivery episodes after previous pelvic floor surgery, and numbers having further pelvic floor surgery after delivery.

Results: Six hundred and three women had a delivery episode after previous pelvic floor surgery in the time period 2002-2008. In this group of 603 women, 42 had a further pelvic floor surgery episode following delivery in the same time period. The incidence of repeat surgery episode following delivery was higher in the group delivered vaginally than in those delivered by caesarean (13.6 versus 4.4%; odds ratio, 3.38; 95% confidence interval, 1.87-6.10).

Conclusions: There were 603 women having childbirth after pelvic floor surgery in the time period 2002-2008. The incidence of further pelvic floor surgery after childbirth was lower after caesarean delivery than after vaginal delivery, and this may indicate a protective effect of abdominal delivery.