{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,4]],"date-time":"2026-04-04T17:49:39Z","timestamp":1775324979439,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":38,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,15]],"date-time":"2023-12-15T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1702598400000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Medicina"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background and Objectives: Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) represent the first-line approach to pelvic floor dysfunctions (PFDs). Recently, studies have shown a synergy between the pelvic floor and abdominal muscles, hypothesizing that the anatomical and functional integrity of the abdominal wall plays a role in the prevention of pelvic floor disorders. Some studies have shown a significant correlation between diastasis recti abdominis (DRA) and stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Nevertheless, the evidence reported in the literature is controversial and based on low-quality data. The aim of the study is to clarify whether DRA-specific abdominal rehabilitation is needed in women with SUI after childbirth. Materials and Methods: All consecutive women who had at least one delivery and complained of symptoms of pure SUI that were urodynamically proven were considered for the study. The group of symptomatic patients was compared with a series of consecutive women, identified during the same study period, without any symptoms of SUI. In both groups, we measured the inter-rectal distance (IRD) with an ultrasound scanner above and below the navel. Results: A total of 102 women eligible for the study group and 100 women who did not report any symptoms of SUI were enrolled. The inter-rectal distance above the umbilicus showed no significant difference between the two groups (2.12 \u00b1 0.98 vs. 2.1 \u00b1 0.77; p = 0.94). In contrast, the data from the sub-umbilical measurements showed a significant difference. Surprisingly, the asymptomatic group showed significantly greater (0.98 \u00b1 0.9 vs. 1.33 \u00b1 0.87 p-value: 0.009) IRD compared to the symptomatic group. Conclusions: The study shows that DRA is not a risk factor for SUI in women after childbirth. Therefore, specific abdominal wall rehabilitation after childbirth does not seem to be indicated.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina59122182","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,15]],"date-time":"2023-12-15T08:12:57Z","timestamp":1702627977000},"page":"2182","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Is Diastasis Recti Abdominis Rehabilitation after Childbirth Able to Prevent the Onset of Stress Urinary Incontinence? A Case-Control Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"59","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4877-0640","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea","family":"Braga","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, EOC-Beata Vergine Hospital, 6850 Mendrisio, Switzerland"},{"name":"Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Universit\u00e0 della Svizzera Italiana, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Livia","family":"Galli","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Universit\u00e0 della Svizzera Italiana, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Giorgio","family":"Caccia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, EOC-Beata Vergine Hospital, 6850 Mendrisio, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-4132-0934","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Giulia","family":"Amato","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, EOC-Beata Vergine Hospital, 6850 Mendrisio, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Andrea","family":"Papadia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Universit\u00e0 della Svizzera Italiana, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland"},{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, EOC-Civico Hospital, 6900 Lugano, Switzerland"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Marco","family":"Torella","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Gyanecology, Obstetric and Reproductive Science, Second University of Naples, 80100 Naples, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Stefano","family":"Salvatore","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, IRCSS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milan, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chiara","family":"Scancarello","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Del Ponte Hospital, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9896-9132","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yoav","family":"Baruch","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tel Aviv Medical Center, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 6997801, Israel"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Maurizio","family":"Serati","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Del Ponte Hospital, University of Insubria, 21100 Varese, Italy"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,12,15]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ogc.2015.10.008","article-title":"The Epidemiology of Pelvic Floor Disorders and Childbirth. 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