scholarly journals The evolution of pelvic canal shape and rotational birth in humans

Author(s):  
Ekaterina Stansfield ◽  
Barbara Fischer ◽  
Philipp Mitteroecker

Abstract The human foetus needs to rotate when passing through the tight birth canal because of the complex shape of the pelvis. In most women the upper part, or inlet, of the birth canal has a round or mediolaterally oval shape, which is considered ideal for parturition, but it is unknown why the lower part, or outlet, of the birth canal has a pronounced anteroposteriorly oval shape. Here we show that the shape of the lower birth canal affects the ability of the pelvic floor to resist pressure exerted by the abdominal organs and the foetus. Based on a series of finite element analyses, we found that the highest deformation, stress and strain occur in pelvic floors with a circular or mediolaterally oval shape, whereas an anteroposterior elongation increases pelvic floor stability. This suggests that the anteroposterior oval outlet shape is an evolutionary adaptation for pelvic floor support. For the pelvic inlet, by contrast, it has long been assumed that the mediolateral dimension is constrained by the efficiency of upright locomotion. But we argue that upright stance limits the anteroposterior dimension of the inlet. A deeper inlet requires greater pelvic tilt and lumbar lordosis, which compromises spine health and the stability of upright posture. These different requirements on the pelvic inlet and outlet have led to the complex shape of the human pelvic canal and to the evolution of rotational birth.

BMC Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ekaterina Stansfield ◽  
Barbara Fischer ◽  
Nicole D. S. Grunstra ◽  
Maria Villa Pouca ◽  
Philipp Mitteroecker

Abstract Background The human foetus typically needs to rotate when passing through the tight birth canal because of the complex shape of the pelvis. In most women, the upper part, or inlet, of the birth canal has a round or mediolaterally oval shape, which is considered ideal for parturition, but it is unknown why the lower part of the birth canal has a pronounced anteroposteriorly oval shape. Results Here, we show that the shape of the lower birth canal affects the ability of the pelvic floor to resist the pressure exerted by the abdominal organs and the foetus. Based on a series of finite element analyses, we found that the highest deformation, stress, and strain occur in pelvic floors with a circular or mediolaterally oval shape, whereas an anteroposterior elongation increases pelvic floor stability. Conclusions This suggests that the anteroposterior oval outlet shape is an evolutionary adaptation for pelvic floor support. For the pelvic inlet, by contrast, it has long been assumed that the mediolateral dimension is constrained by the efficiency of upright locomotion. But we argue that the mediolateral elongation has evolved because of the limits on the anteroposterior diameter imposed by upright posture. We show that an anteroposteriorly deeper inlet would require greater pelvic tilt and lumbar lordosis, which compromises spine health and the stability of upright posture. These different requirements of the pelvic inlet and outlet likely have led to the complex shape of the pelvic canal and to the evolution of rotational birth characteristic of humans.


2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 20190022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark T. Gordon ◽  
John O. L. DeLancey ◽  
Aaron Renfroe ◽  
Andrew Battles ◽  
Luyun Chen

To develop an anatomically based customizable finite-element (FE) model of the pelvic floor support system to simulate pelvic organ prolapse (POP): POP-SIM1.0. This new simulation platform allows for the construction of an array of models that objectively represent the key anatomical and functional variation in women with and without prolapse to test pathomechanism hypotheses of the prolapse formation. POP-SIM1.0 consists of anatomically based FE models and a suite of Python-based tools developed to rapidly construct FE models by customizing the base model with desired structural parameters. Each model consists of anatomical structures from three support subsystems which can be customized based on magnetic resonance image measurements in women with and without prolapse. The customizable structural parameters include presence of levator ani (LA) avulsion, hiatus size, anterior vaginal wall dimension, attachment fascia length and apical location in addition to the tissue material properties and intra-abdominal pressure loading. After customization, the FE model was loaded with increasing intra-abdominal pressure (0–100 cmH 2 O) and solved using ABAQUS explicit solver. We were able to rapidly construct anatomically based FE models with specific structural geometry which reflects the morphology changes often observed in women with prolapse. At maximum loading, simulated structural deformations have similar anatomical characteristics to those observed during clinical exams and stress magnetic resonance images. Simulation results showed the presence of LA muscle avulsion negatively impacts the pelvic floor support. The normal model with intact muscle had the smallest exposed vaginal length of 11 mm, while the bilateral avulsion produced the largest exposed vaginal length at 24 mm. The unilateral avulsion model had an exposed vaginal length of 18 mm and also demonstrated a tipped perineal body similar to that seen in clinical observation. Increasing the hiatus size, vaginal wall length and fascia length also resulted in worse pelvic floor support, increasing the exposed vaginal length from 18 mm in the base model to 33 mm, 54 mm and 23.5 mm, respectively. The developed POP-SIM1.0 can simulate the anatomical structure changes often observed in women with prolapse. Preliminary results showed that the presence of LA avulsion, enlarged hiatus, longer vaginal wall and fascia length can result in larger prolapse at simulated maximum Valsalva.


The Lancet ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 333 (8639) ◽  
pp. 674 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luc Lesaffer

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 48-53
Author(s):  
Etika Desi Yogi

For women, the perineum is very important stretching and lubricating the perineum during labor can weaken the pelvic floor muscles in the vaginal wall, trauma to the perineum also causes discomfort and pain during sexual intercourse and an estimated 85% of maternal mothers experience birth canal lacerations (Kettle and Tohil 2008). One of the fears that are often felt by pregnant women, especially third timers, is fear of being torn and afraid of sewing. Especially for mothers who have experienced it, this can make their own trauma when facing the birth process later (USU, 2006). The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of parity to the degree of laceration of the birth pathway in Jetis Lor Polindes, Nawangan District, Pacitan Regency. The design or design in this study is correlation analysis, with the "retrospective" approach. This study analyzed the relationship of parity with the degree of laceration of the birth path in Jetis Lor Polindes, Nawangan District, Pacitan Regency. In this study, the population was all mothers giving birth at Jetis Lor Polindes, Nawangan District, Pacitan Regency. The samples in this study were all mothers giving birth at Jetis Lor Polindes, Nawangan District, Pacitan Regency. In this study by looking at the last 1 year data. In this study the independent variable is parity. In this study the dependent variable is the degree of laceration of the birth canal. Based on the calculation results of SPSS 11.5 for Windows, it was found that there was no relationship between parity and laceration degrees in the Jetis Lor Polindes, Nawangan Subdistrict, Pacitan Regency, from the results of probability (sig. 2-tailed) 0.22 <0.05.The researcher hopes that the mother will seek information and increase knowledge about the labor process, so that with good knowledge will reduce lacerations on the birth canal


2021 ◽  
Vol 2131 (4) ◽  
pp. 042057
Author(s):  
S Nescoromniy ◽  
E Strizhakov ◽  
D Minko

Abstract The article substantiates the use of preliminary static loading and subsequent forging force when stamping thin sheet parts of complex shape with an elastic punch. The static load provides a relative deformation of the order of 20– 30% in the processing zone, which guarantees the stability of the position of the workpiece during subsequent pulsed loading. This technique is very important in the manufacture of asymmetric parts with a thickness of 0.01 – 0.3 mm. As a result, the accuracy of the products obtained corresponds to the 7th grade.The article provides a schematic diagram and a description of the proposed design of a double-action press, and analyzes the cyclogram of the device.It is recommended to carry out a static load with an electric drive, a pulsed one with a magnetic hammer, which is connected to a generator of impulse currents with a capacitive storage with an energy capacity of up to 40 kJ with a natural discharge frequency of the current of 20 kHz.


Author(s):  
J. M. Ko¨hler ◽  
P. A. Groß

The stability of fluid segments is limited by deformation stress and by coalescence events. Both factors are typical for the passage of fluid segments through micro fluidic networks. Therefore, the coalescence behaviour of micro fluid segments in simple net work structures in dependence of flow rate ratios was investigated and characterized by the composition of obtained segment populations. Series of segments of different size and distance were generated either in a double T- or in a triple T-arrangement. PTFE elements were used for the micro fluid network. Nearly pulsation-free fluid actuation was realized by syringe pumps. The flow conditions in the input streams of carrier liquid and injected solutions remained constant during the experiments. Segment sequences become divers by different injection, stacking and coalescence events. The resulting segment sequences were characterized by on-line micro photometry. The populations of obtained micro fluid segments during each experiment were characterized by the distribution of segment size and segment distance or segment periode, respectively. Simulations support the assumption, that the character of segment populations is mainly determined by the flow rate ratios and by the coalescence sensitivity beside the topology of the fluidic network.


2019 ◽  
Vol 126 (5) ◽  
pp. 1343-1351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafeef Aljuraifani ◽  
Ryan E. Stafford ◽  
Leanne M. Hall ◽  
Wolbert van den Hoorn ◽  
Paul W. Hodges

The female pelvic floor muscles (PFM) are arranged in distinct superficial and deep layers that function to support the pelvic/abdominal organs and maintain continence, but with some potential differences in function. Although general recordings of PFM activity show amplitude modulation in conjunction with fluctuation in intra-abdominal pressure such as that associated with respiration, it is unclear whether the activities of the two PFM layers modulate in a similar manner. This study aimed to investigate the activation of the deep and superficial PFM during a range of respiratory tasks in different postures. Twelve women without pelvic floor dysfunction participated. A custom-built surface electromyography (EMG) electrode was used to record the activation of the superficial and deep PFM during quiet breathing, breathing with increased dead space, coughing, and maximal and submaximal inspiratory and expiratory efforts. As breathing demand increased, the deep PFM layer EMG had greater coherence with respiratory airflow at the frequency of respiration than the superficial PFM ( P = 0.038). During cough, the superficial PFM activated earlier than the deep PFM in the sitting position ( P = 0.043). In contrast, during maximal and submaximal inspiratory and expiratory efforts, the superficial PFM EMG was greater than that for the deep PFM ( P = 0.011). These data show that both layers of PFM are activated during both inspiration and expiration, but with a bias to greater activation in expiratory tasks/phases. Activation of the deep and superficial PFM layers differed in most of the respiratory tasks, but there was no consistent bias to one muscle layer.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Although pelvic floor muscles are generally considered as a single entity, deep and superficial layers have different anatomies and biomechanics. Here we show task-specific differences in recruitment between layers during respiratory tasks in women. The deep layer was more tightly modulated with respiration than the superficial layer, but activation of the superficial layer was greater during maximal/submaximal occluded respiratory efforts and earlier during cough. These data highlight tightly coordinated recruitment of discrete pelvic floor muscles for respiration.


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