Does pregnancy and/or shifting positions create more room in a woman’s pelvis? - 26/11/14
, Betty-Anne Daviss, MA d, Andrew Bisits, MD e, Astrid Schollenberger, MD b, Thomas Vogl, MD, PhD b, Eva Herrmann, MD, PhD c, Frank Louwen, MD a, Stephan Zangos, MD, PhD bAbstract |
Objective |
The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of different positions on pelvic diameters by comparing pregnant and nonpregnant women who assumed a dorsal supine and kneeling squat position.
Study Design |
In this cohort study from a tertiary referral center in Germany, we enrolled 50 pregnant women and 50 nonpregnant women. Pelvic measurements were obtained with obstetric magnetic resonance imaging pelvimetry with the use of a 1.5-T scanner. We compared measurements of the depth (anteroposterior (AP) and width (transverse diameters) of the pelvis between the 2 positions.
Results |
The most striking finding was a significant 0.9-1.9 cm increase (7-15%) in the average transverse diameters in the kneeling squat position in both pregnant and nonpregnant groups. The average bispinous diameter in the pregnant group increased from 12.6 cm ± 0.65 cm in the supine dorsal to 14.5 cm ± 0.64 cm (P < .0001) in the kneeling squat; in the nonpregnant group the increase was from 12 cm ± 0.76 cm to 13.9 cm ± 1.04 cm (P < .0001). The average bituberous diameter in the pregnant group increased from 13.6 cm ± 0.93 cm in the supine dorsal to 14.5 cm ± 0.83 cm (P < .0001) in the kneeling squat position; in the nonpregnant women the increase was from 12.6 cm ± 0.92 cm to 13.5 cm ± 0.88 cm (P < .0001).
Conclusion |
A kneeling squat position significantly increases the bony transverse and anteroposterior dimension in the mid pelvic plane and the pelvic outlet. Because this indicates that pelvic diameters change when women change positions, the potential for facilitation of delivery of the fetal head suggests further research that will compare maternal delivery positions is warranted.
Le texte complet de cet article est disponible en PDF.Key words : birth, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), maternal position, pelvimetry, pregnancy
Plan
| The authors report no conflict of interest. |
|
| Cite this article as: Reitter A, Daviss B-A, Bisits A, et al. Does pregnancy and/or shifting positions create more room in a woman’s pelvis? Am J Obstet Gynecol 2014;211:662.e1-9. |
Vol 211 - N° 6
P. 662.e1-662.e9 - décembre 2014 Retour au numéro
Article précédent
- The mortality risk of expectant management compared with delivery stratified by gestational age and race and ethnicity
- Melissa G. Rosenstein, Jonathan M. Snowden, Yvonne W. Cheng, Aaron B. Caughey
- Effect of maternal intravenous fluid therapy on external cephalic version at term: a prospective cohort study
- Jorge Burgos, Eider Quintana, Patricia Cobos, Carmen Osuna, María del Mar Centeno, Juan Carlos Melchor
Bienvenue sur EM-consulte, la référence des professionnels de santé.
L’accès au texte intégral de cet article nécessite un abonnement.
Déjà abonné à cette revue ?