Background: Pelvic floor dysfunction in women encompasses a wide range of clinical disorders: urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, fecal incontinence, and pelvic-perineal region pain syndrome. A literature review did not identify any articles addressing the prevalence of all pelvic floor dysfunctions. Objective: Determine the prevalence of the group of pelvic floor disorders and the factors associated with the development of these disorders in women. Material and methods: This observational study was conducted with women during 2021 and 2022 in Spain. Sociodemographic and employment data, previous medical history and health status, lifestyle and habits, obstetric history, and health problems were collected through a self-developed questionnaire. The Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory (PFDI-20) was used to assess the presence and impact of pelvic floor disorders. Pearson's Chi-Square, Odds Ratio (OR) and adjusted Odds Ratio (aOR) with their respective 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated. Results: One thousand four hundred forty-six women participated. Urinary incontinence occurred in 55.8% (807) of the women, fecal incontinence in 10.4% (150), symptomatic uterine prolapse in 14.0% (203), and 18.7% (271) reported pain in the pelvic area. The following were identified as factors that increase the probability of urinary incontinence: menopausal status. For fecal incontinence: having had instrumental births. Factors for pelvic organ prolapse: number of vaginal births, one, two or more. Factors for pelvic pain: the existence of fetal macrosomia. Conclusions: The prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction in women is high. Various sociodemographic factors such as age, having a gastrointestinal disease, having had vaginal births, and instrumental vaginal births are associated with a greater probability of having pelvic floor dysfunction. Health personnel must take these factors into account to prevent the appearance of these dysfunctions.

Background: Pelvic floor dysfunction encompasses conditions like urinary and fecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and pelvic pain, significantly affecting women’s quality of life. Despite its prevalence, few studies have adopted a qualitative approach to understanding women’s perceptions and emotions regarding these issues. This study aims to delve into how women with pelvic floor disorders perceive their condition and its impact on their daily lives. Methods: We analyzed qualitative data from interviews with 160 women suffering from pelvic floor dysfunctions. Using inductive qualitative content analysis, we systematically examined the data to identify variations, differences, and similarities. Results: The analysis revealed four primary themes in the women’s narratives: “Physical Impacts”, “Emotional and Psychological Impacts”, “Social and Relational Impacts”, and “Sexual Health Impacts”, along with 12 subthemes. The findings predominantly highlight how pelvic floor dysfunctions detrimentally affect women’s quality of life and emotional well-being, instilling fear and insecurity in daily activities, compounded by sleep disturbances and sexual dysfunction. Conclusions: Women living with pelvic floor dysfunction face multifaceted challenges that adversely affect various aspects of their lives, diminishing their overall quality of life. This includes notable impacts on sleep, physical, and sexual activities. However, not all affected women report these issues, often due to fear of stigma, choosing instead to conceal their struggles in an effort to maintain an appearance of normalcy.

Background: Female pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) is a common condition affecting the emotional well‐being of women.Objective: To estimate the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in women with PFD.Search Strategy, Selection Criteria, Data Collection and Analysis: Following prospective registration (PROSPERO CRD42022362095) we conducted a search of three electronic databases (PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus) from inception to April 2023 without language restriction to capture studies reporting the prevalence of depression/anxiety among women with PFD (chronic pelvic pain [CPP], urinary incontinence [UI], pelvic organ prolapse [POP], and/or fecal incontinence [FI]). Only studies with validated tools were included. Data extraction and study quality assessment were performed by two independent reviewers. Stratifying by type of PFD, rates of depression and anxiety were pooled using random effects model computing 95% confidence interval (CI) and assessing heterogeneity using the I² statistic. Funnel plots were used to detect potential reporting biases and small‐study effects.Main Results: The search yielded 767 articles, from which 54 studies containing 632 605 women were included. All the studies were high quality. The prevalence of depression was: CPP 26.8% (95% CI: 19.2–34.4, I² = 98.7%; 12 studies, 4798 participants with 491 cases; Egger's P value = 0.009); UI 26.3% (95% CI: 19.4–33.2, I² = 99.9%; 26 studies, a total of 346 114 participants with 25 050 cases; Egger's P value = 0.944); POP 34.9% (95% CI: 24.3–45.6, I² = 68%; three studies, 297 participants with 104 cases; Egger's P value = 0.973); and FI 25.3% (95% CI: 0.68–49.9, I² = 99.7%; six studies, 14 663 participants with 1773 cases; Egger's P value = 0.780). The prevalence of anxiety was: CPP 29.5% (95% CI: 16.3–42.7, I² = 97.7%; nine studies, 2483 participants with 349 cases; Egger's P value = 0.001); UI 46.91% (95% CI: 39.1–54.6, I² = 99.6%; 11 studies, 198 491 participants with 40 058 cases; Egger's P value = 0.337); and POP 28% (95% CI: 13.6–42.4, I² = 89%; three studies with 355 participants with 90 cases; Egger's P value = 0.306).Conclusion: The prevalence of mental health illness was variable in the different types of PFDs. This meta‐analysis helps quantify the burden of depression and anxiety in PFD and will help inform the policies regarding screening of emotional well‐being by healthcare professionals engaged in care of women with PFD.

Background: Nursing students are at risk of anxiety during their university education. Objective: To determine the psychometric characteristics of the General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) questionnaire in a population of university nursing students. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with 170 students at the University of Jaen (Spain) in 2022. An online questionnaire was administered that included sociodemographic and student profile variables, the GAD-7 questionnaire, and the Goldberg anxiety subscale. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA), validation with convergence, and reliability analysis using Cronbach’s α were performed. Results: The EFA identified a single component that explained 63.50% of the variance. It was positively correlated with the Goldberg anxiety subscale (r = 0.653; p < 0.001). A statistically significant association was observed with academic year, gender, and having experienced an anxiety crisis (p < 0.005). Internal consistency with Cronbach’s α was 0.903. Conclusion: The GAD-7 presents appropriate psychometric characteristics for use in a university population of nursing students. It is capable of detecting symptoms and generalized anxiety disorder, making it a useful and simple tool for detecting anxiety-related problems in this population.

The benefits of physical activity are numerous on both physical and mental levels. Urinary incontinence (UI) can influence physical activity level; among US women, nearly two out of three view this problem as a barrier to physical activity, meaning that they do not exercise, exercise less, or even have to change their activity routines to accommodate this pelvic floor dysfunction. To determine whether UI influences the pattern of physical activity and whether a greater impact of urinary symptoms could influence the level of physical activity. An observational study was carried out with women in 2021 and 2022 in Spain. The main dependent variable was level physical activity, as measured by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The Urogenital Distress Inventory (UDI-6) scale was used to determine the presence of UI and its impact. Sociodemographic, health status, lifestyle and obstetric data were obtained. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were performed using binary logistic regression, obtaining adjusted odds ratio (aOR) with its 95% confidence interval (95% CI). A total of 1446 women participated, of whom 55.8% (807) had UI and 25.7% (371) reported low physical activity. Mixed incontinence (aOR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.09–2.15) overall and a greater intensity of urinary symptoms (UDI-6 score; aOR: 1.014; 95% CI: 1.01–1.02) in the group of women with incontinence were statistically associated with a higher frequency of low physical activity. Other variables related to low physical activity were age, body mass index, pelvic pain, and income level (p < 0.001). Mixed-type UI is associated with low-level physical activity or inactivity in the whole group of women, while among women with UI, the greater impact of the symptoms increases the probability of low physical activity or inactivity. In this report, it is analyzed how urinary incontinence affects physical activity. It was found that women who suffer from mixed-type urinary incontinence have a low level of physical activity or inactivity, while those who experience a greater impact of urinary incontinence symptoms have an increased likelihood of having low physical activity or inactivity.

The benefits of exclusive breastfeeding are well known for both mother and baby. Despite this, rates of exclusive breastfeeding remain low. The present study aimed to determine the factors associated with the maintenance of this type of feeding after being discharged from the hospital after childbirth. A cross-sectional study was carried out with 1200 postpartum women in Spain. Sociodemographic, obstetric, and neonatal data were collected. Odds ratios (OR) and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Early breastfeeding initiation was identified as a factor that favors breastfeeding after hospital discharge (aOR: 2.47; 95%CI: 1.77, 3.45). Other factors that favor breastfeeding after discharge included the woman feeling very supported by her partner during pregnancy, childbirth, and the puerperium (aOR: 2.54; 95%CI:1.30, 5.00) and having previously breastfed other children (aOR: 1.97; 95%CI: 1.40, 2.76). Among the factors that hindered exclusive breastfeeding after discharge were multiple or twin pregnancies (aOR: 0.31; 95%CI 0.12, 0.83), induction of labor (aOR: 0.73; 95%CI: 0.53, 0.99), admission of the newborn to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) (aOR: 0.31; 95%CI 0.19, 0.52), using epidural pain relief during labor (aOR: 0.41; 95%CI: 0.27, 0.64), or a preterm newborn (aOR: 0.38; 95%CI: 0.21, 0.69). For all these reasons, it is essential to promote certain practices such as the early start of breastfeeding or the induced onset of labor, among others, in order to promote the maintenance of exclusive breastfeeding beyond hospital discharge after childbirth.