Participant characteristics for MAMMI and SIM.

BackgroundThis study aimed to assess the prevalence and persistence of key maternal morbidities – urinary incontinence, faecal incontinence, pelvic girdle pain, sexual health problems, depression, and anxiety – after the births of a first and second baby. Its longitudinal design distinguishes it from previous research by examining a range of morbidities over two childbirths and stratifying results based on women’s prior health history.Methods and findingsA prospective cohort of 3,047 nulliparous women completed surveys in early pregnancy and at 3, 6, 9, and 12-months postpartum after their first birth. Of these, 254 women who had a second baby and consented to follow-up completed additional surveys at 6-months and/or 12-months postpartum after their second baby’s birth. Prevalence of each morbidity was reported at each time point, 3, 6, 9, 12-months after the first birth; and 6 and/or 12-months after the second birth. Persistence was defined as reporting the morbidity at 6 and/or 12-months after the first birth and again at 6 and/or 12-months after the second birth. Among 91 women reporting urinary incontinence after their first baby’s birth, persistence was 100% (n = 5/5) for those who experienced it in the 12-months prior to their first pregnancy and 39.5% (n = 34/86) for those without (RR 2.53, 95% CI (1.95–3.29)). For pelvic girdle pain (n = 86), persistence was 98.1% (n = 52/53) who experienced it in the 12-months prior to their first pregnancy and 97.0% (n = 32/33) for those without (RR 1.01, 95% CI (0.94–1.09)). Sexual health problems persisted in 100% (n = 76/76) of those who experienced it in the 12-months prior to their first pregnancy versus 89.6% (n = 43/48) without (RR 1.12, 95% CI (1.02–1.23)). Depression persisted in 50% (n = 4/8) of those who experienced it in the 12 months prior to their first pregnancy versus 19.0% (n = 15/79) without (RR 2.63, 95% CI (1.15–6.03)); and anxiety persisted in 100% (n = 1/1) of those who experienced it in the 12-months prior to their first pregnancy versus 13.5% (n = 12/89) without anxiety (RR 7.42, 95% CI (4.38–12.55)).ConclusionsThese findings underscore the need for early identification and intervention to mitigate long-term health issues, highlighting the importance of targeted pregnancy and postpartum care for women with prior maternal morbidities.