Post-Pregnancy Anal Leakage

Following pregnancy, it is surprisingly common for women to experience incontinence. In fact, a recent study showed as many as 1 in 4 women had difficulty controlling their bowels after childbirth. While this knowledge may not ease the symptoms of involuntarily passing gas or stool, it does mean that the experts at the Colorectal Center Los Angeles are well versed in post pregnancy anal leakage treatment. They understand the delicate nature of this problem, and do everything to make their patients comfortable while delivering highly effective treatment. If you are suffering from incontinence following childbirth, it may be time to seek help at the Colorectal Center Los Angeles. We work hard to provide relief to each of our patients and strive to deliver the most effective post pregnancy anal leakage treatment Los Angeles has available.

Risk factors

It’s an unfortunate fact that pregnancy itself can make a patient prone to anal incontinence. The weight of the child on the body, including the vagina and anus, can cause certain tissues to give way and prevent the patient from using her bowels properly. However, there are specific factors that increase risk. Knowing these, patients can plan for labor and delivery in a way that minimizes risk of anal incontinence.

Risk factors for incontinence following pregnancy include:

• First-time deliveries apparently pose a higher risk than second or third time deliveries. After the first delivery, the tissues have a chance to repair and strengthen, making them more resilient.
• Damage to the sphincter muscles during delivery can cause incontinence.
• An episiotomy can raise the risk of incontinence. This is a procedure in which an incision is made in the vaginal wall that helps prevent more severe tears during delivery.
• The use of forceps during delivery can cause trauma to the sphincter, contributing to incontinence.

Treatment for anal incontinence