Dynamic assessment of pelvic floor and bony pelvis morphologic condition with the use of magnetic resonance imaging in a multiethnic, nulliparous, and healthy female population

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine dynamic pelvic floor and bony pelvis morphologic condition in asymptomatic multiethnic women. Study design: Pelvic floor anthropometry, at rest and after the Valsalva maneuver, and pelvimetry were compared with the use of magnetic resonance imaging in nulliparous young volunteers from 5 ethnic groups (n = 11 x 5 volunteers: Emirati, other Arab, Filipino, Indian/Pakistani, and European/white volunteers), with the white volunteers as the reference group. Results: The white volunteers were significantly taller (P < .0001) than the other women. Their levator hiatus-was significantly longer than the Emirati women (P = .03) and wider than the Filipino women (P = .04). The bladder neck descent on straining was also significantly greater than the other groups (P < .00001). The white women also had the longest transverse diameter of the pelvic inlet (P = .002). Their sagittal outlet diameter was significantly longer than the Emirati and Arab women (P = .02), and their interspinous diameter was significantly longer than the Arab women (P = .002). Conclusion: Nulliparous, healthy white women have larger levator hiatus and bony pelvis with greater bladder neck descent on straining than non-white women. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.