Pelvic floor disorders among indigenous women living in Xingu Indian Park, Brazil

Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct. 2009 Sep;20(9):1079-84. doi: 10.1007/s00192-009-0906-x. Epub 2009 May 15.

Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis: Current assessment for pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) allows comparison between different communities.

Methods: A total of 377 indigenous women living in Xingu Indian Park were evaluated. The pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q) was the system used to quantification the staging of pelvic support. The pelvic floor muscle strength was assessed by a perineometer. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine risk factors that were associated with prolapse.

Results: Only 5.8% of women reported urinary incontinence. The overall distribution of POP-Q stage system was the following: 15.6% stage 0, 19.4% stage I, 63.9% stage II and 0.8% stage III. Parity and age were the risk factors for pelvic organ prolapse (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions: Urinary incontinence was uncommon in Xingu indigenous women. Like non-indigenous communities, age and parity were the most important risk factors to the genital prolapse.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Child
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Indians, South American*
  • Middle Aged
  • Parturition
  • Physical Examination
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Urinary Incontinence / diagnosis
  • Urinary Incontinence / ethnology*
  • Uterine Prolapse / diagnosis
  • Uterine Prolapse / ethnology*
  • Young Adult