Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. Email: a. GPs offer a first line of contact for many women, but we know that very few women experiencing anal incontinence postnatally report discussing it with their GPs. To identify key ways in which GPs can support women with anal incontinence caused by childbirth injuries.
Thematic analysis was conducted and relevant themes from across the two datasets were examined. Mediating factors in GP care for women with anal incontinence caused by childbirth injuries centred around three key themes: the role of the GP, access and pathways, and communication.
The findings demonstrate multifactorial challenges in identifying the problem and supporting women experiencing anal incontinence after childbirth injury in primary care settings. Many GPs lacked confidence in their role in supporting women, and women were often reluctant to seek help.
Those women who did seek help often experienced frustrations consulting with their GPs. In a context where women are often reluctant to ask for help, their concerns are not always taken seriously, and where GPs do not routinely ask about anal incontinence, potential anal incontinence after childbirth injury appears to be often missed in a primary care setting. For most women, their GPs will be first line for suggesting a likely diagnosis, as well as support and management, of anal incontinence.
This wider support could include advice related to diet and self-management, and signposting to resources. However, we know that very few women experiencing anal incontinence postnatally report having discussed this with healthcare professionals, and that many women are not asked by their GPs about anal incontinence during routine postnatal checks.
