Impact of Pregnancy and Route of Delivery Vaginal Sulfated Glycosaminoglycans in a Rat Model Introduction

Hypothesis / aims of study Urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse derive from the loss of connective tissue support, which occur as a consequence of trauma (pregnancy and delivery, obesity and cronically elevated abdominal pressure), ageing and hypoestrogenism. The extracelullar matrix corresponds to a substantial part of connective tissue volume and is responsible for absorbing and resisting most of the mecanical stress the tissue is submitted to (Falconer, 1994). Due to its role on tisues resistance to mecanical trauma, GAG metabolism could possibly be involved in the pathogenesis of urinary incontinence and prolapse. The objective of this study is to test this hypothesis by analysing the impact of vaginal trauma (pregnancy, delivery and simulated delivery) at the concetration of sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in suburethral vaginal tissue in rats.