Pelvic floor disorders such as pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, and fecal
incontinence affect a large number of women each year. The pelvic floor can be thought of
as a biomechanical problem due to the complex interaction between the vagina and its
supportive structures that are designed to withstand the downward descent of the pelvic
organs in response to increases in abdominal pressure. Although previous work has
highlighted the biochemical changes that are associated with specific risk factors (ie parity …