Assessing the Impact of Programmed Intermittent Pulse Injection on Pelvic Floor Function Following Childbirth.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the impact of different administration timings of Programmed Intermittent Pulse Injection (PIEB) on pelvic floor function and postpartum rehabilitation in patients who underwent analgesic delivery and received postpartum rehabilitation nursing.

METHODS: An observational comparative study was conducted between January 2021 and October 2021. We enrolled 85 patients who received PIEB analgesia during delivery and postpartum rehabilitation nursing at our hospital. Among them, 39 women received PIEB (10 mL pulse dose) 60 minutes after analgesia, comprising group A. Additionally, 46 women received PIEB (15 mL pulse dose) 90 minutes after analgesia, forming group B. We assessed pain levels using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), recorded epidural drug dosage, counted the number of Patient-Controlled Epidural Analgesia (PCEA) compressions, noted cases of unilateral block, oxytocin (OT) usage, conversion to cesarean section, and adverse events (AEs). Furthermore, we evaluated pelvic floor muscle (PFM) recovery and assessed their quality of life using the World Health Organization Quality of Life assessment (WHOQOL-100).

RESULTS: Group A exhibited a lower VAS score at 1 hour after analgesia compared to group B (P < .05), with no significant differences at other time points (P > .05). Group A had lower epidural drug dosages and fewer PCEA compressions than group B (P < .05). There were no significant differences in unilateral block incidence and OT use (P > .05). PFM recovery levels were similar in both groups (P > .05), but the WHOQOL-100 score after nursing was higher in group A compared to group B (P < .05).

CONCLUSIONS: Administering PIEB with a 60-minute interval after analgesia can enhance the effectiveness and safety of the intervention.