CAN WOMEN WITH INTRAPARTUM RUPTURE OF ANAL-SPHINCTER STILL SUFFER AFTER-EFFECTS 2 DECADES LATER

Background. Recent research has revealed that women who suffer anal sp hincter rupture (ASR) during delivery can experience persisting compla ints some time afterwards. Examinations have been made some years post partum, but it would be of interest to know if women with anal sphince r rupture might still have complaints attributable to the rear, two de cades later. Method and material. A questionnaire was mailed to women with recorded intrapartum anal sphincter rupture (n=66) and to matched controls without anal sphincter rupture (n=66), two decades after the event. Results. Forty-one of the anal sphincter rupture women and 38 controls replied. Anal problems were more often experienced by the ana l sphincter rupture subjects (n=18) than by the controls (n=7) (p<0.01 ). Complaints such as anal fissures, gas incontinence and leakage into lingerie were significantly more common in the sphincter rupture grou p. Four claimed the physic trauma had deterred them from further pregn ancy; two had nevertheless given birth later on. Five (12%) of the wom en were unaware that they had sustained a sphincter tear. Conclusion. Women with intrapartum anal sphincter rupture can still suffer problem s 20 years afterwards. In the follow-up of these women, information an d support are essential and active tracing of such women is to be reco mmended.