Functional Assessment of Anal Sphincter with Transperineal Ultrasound and Its Relationship to Anal Continence.

Background/objectives: Anal incontinence is linked to pelvic floor dysfunction. Diagnosis involves assessing both the function and structure of the anorectal unit. Although transperineal ultrasound has gained attention as a less invasive option, its effectiveness as a diagnostic tool for evaluating the relationship between structure and function is still debated.

Does vaginal bacterial colonization contribute to preterm birth in women with asymptomatic shortened cervix?

Purpose: The aim of this study is to describe the typical microbial spectrum and the influence of distinct vaginal infections on preterm birth in pregnancies affected by cervical incompetence.

Methods: 327 patients were admitted because of asymptomatic shortening of the cervix in the second and third trimester of pregnancy. Clinical data such as age, cervical length, gestational age at admission and at delivery and vaginal microbiologic findings were collected and analyzed.

Three-dimensional vs two-dimensional endoscopic approach in urogynecology: A retrospective cohort study of laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy.

Aim: The gold standard to treat an apical pelvic organ prolapse is the abdominal route via a sacrocolpopexy, which is also reproduced by laparoscopic route. A laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy however, requires surgical expertise. Three-dimensional (3D) laparoscopy has been developed to overcome the lack of depth perception, that is a known disadvantage of conventional two-dimensional (2D) laparoscopy.

Vasa previa: A rare obstetric complication-A case series and a literature review.

Vasa previa is a rare condition. However, since the increase in assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs), clinicians are more frequently confronted with this complication. In this study, we present five cases of vasa previa prenatally diagnosed from a tertiary referral hospital with approximately 2000 births yearly.

Post-traumatic stress disorder following childbirth: prevalence and associated factors-a prospective cohort study.

Objective: Traumatic experiences during or after childbirth are subject of intense discussions in mainstream and social media as well as in scientific literature. Aim of this evaluation is to estimate the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following childbirth in postpartum women and to evaluate the influence of maternal, obstetrical and neonatal characteristics on the degree of PTSD symptoms measured by the Impact of Events Scale questionnaire (IES-R).

Methods: In total, 589 women who gave birth in the University Medical Center Mainz, Germany in 2016, participated in a survey within the first days after birth.