Patient-Reported Outcomes in Women With Postpartum Abdominal Wall Insufficiency (PPAWIS)
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Routine Clinical Care.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Diastasis Recti and Weakness of the Linea Alba, Abdominal Wall Defect, Postpartum Complication, Abdominal Wall Anomaly. Basic parameters: 18 years — 65 years · Female.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
A Prospective Observational Cohort Study of Quality of Life, Body Image, and Sexual Function in Women With Postpartum Abdominal Wall Insufficiency Syndrome (PPAWIS) Using Patient-Reported Outcome Measures
Overview
Postpartum abdominal wall insufficiency syndrome (PPAWIS) is a multidimensional condition that may affect physical function, quality of life, body image, and sexual health in women after childbirth. Anatomical findings alone do not fully explain symptom burden or patient experience. This prospective observational cohort study will collect validated patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) from women with PPAWIS receiving routine care. PROMs will be assessed at baseline and during follow-up to describe symptom burden and changes over time. The study aims to improve understanding of the patient-centered impact of PPAWIS and to support development of standardized assessment pathways in clinical practice.
Detailed description
his is a prospective observational cohort study conducted in the setting of routine clinical care at Śmietański Hernia Center in Gdańsk (LUX MED Hospital) with collaboration from Medical University of Gdańsk. The study focuses on patient-centered outcomes in women with postpartum abdominal wall insufficiency syndrome (PPAWIS), a condition characterized by variable combinations of abdominal wall dysfunction and psychosocial impact after childbirth.
Participants will complete standardized, validated PROMs capturing quality of life, body image, and sexual function. Assessments will be performed at baseline (at/around qualification for routine care) and at predefined follow-up time points (e.g., 6 and 12 months). Clinical and demographic variables relevant for interpretation (e.g., time since last delivery, BMI, coexisting abdominal wall findings, and type of routine care received) will be recorded in a structured manner.
The study is non-interventional: treatment decisions and clinical management are determined by clinicians and patients according to usual practice and are not assigned by the research protocol. The primary purpose is to quantify baseline burden and describe longitudinal changes in PROMs, and to explore associations between patient-reported outcomes and selected clinical characteristics to inform future standardization of assessment and care pathways.
Data will be collected and stored using pseudonymized study identifiers. Participation is voluntary and can be withdrawn at any time without affecting clinical care.
Interventions
- Other Routine Clinical Care
No intervention is assigned by the research protocol. Clinical management is determined by clinicians and patients according to usual practice; the study collects patient-reported outcome measures longitudinally.
Primary outcome measures
- Change in Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) [Time frame: Baseline and 6 months after baseline (window 5-7 months)]
Secondary outcome measures (3)
- Change in Sexual Function (FSFI) [Time frame: Baseline and 6 months after baseline (window 5-7 months)]
- Change in Body Image (Body Image scale) [Time frame: Baseline and 6 months after baseline (window 5-7 months)]
- Sustained Change in Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) [Time frame: Baseline and 12 months after baseline (window 11-13 months)]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Female, age 18-65 years
- Postpartum status: at least 6 months after last delivery
- Clinical diagnosis of postpartum abdominal wall insufficiency syndrome (PPAWIS), defined by abdominal wall dysfunction symptoms and/or significant quality-of-life impact, with supportive findings on physical examination and/or imaging (e.g., diastasis recti and/or related abdominal wall insufficiency features)
- Receiving routine clinical care for PPAWIS at the study site (surgical)
- Able and willing to provide informed consent and complete patient-reported outcome questionnaires at baseline and follow-up
Exclusion criteria
- Current pregnancy
- Planned pregnancy during the follow-up period (up to 12 months), if expected to interfere with outcome assessment
- Inability to complete questionnaires due to cognitive impairment or insufficient language proficiency in the validated questionnaire language version
- Severe uncontrolled psychiatric condition that, in the investigator's opinion, would prevent informed consent or reliable questionnaire completion
- Participation in another interventional study that could materially affect patient-reported outcomes related to abdominal wall function during the follow-up period
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
Study locations
Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
Publications
- Smietanski M, Smietanska IA, Zamkowski M. Post-partum abdominal wall insufficiency syndrome (PPAWIS): lessons learned from a single surgeon's experience based on 200 cases. BMC Surg. 2022 Aug 8;22(1):305. doi: 10.1186/s12893-022-01757-y. PMID 35941642
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07407374 · PPAWIS-01