Megan R. Routzong, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences

University of California, San Diego

Pregnancy, Childbirth, and the Mechanics of the Maternal Pelvic Floor

In 2022, there were 3.7 million births in the US, the majority of which were vaginal. The median maternal age at first birth reached 30, a record high, trending upwards as people continue to wait longer to have their first child. Pregnancy and childbirth are mechanically demanding processes, reflected in the fact that with each vaginal birth, one is at a greater and greater risk of developing a pelvic floor disorder. It is widely hypothesized that this risk is due to the incredible amount of strain the pelvic soft tissues and organs undergo to accommodate passage of the fetus through the birth canal. This often results in injury to the maternal pelvic soft tissues. However, the knowledge necessary to predict and prevent maternal birth complications and injury remains undetermined. My research aims to characterize pregnancy-induced remodeling and mechanisms of vaginal birth injury in pelvic floor muscles and connective tissues utilizing computational and biomechanical approaches. In this talk, I will describe an iterative approach to improving finite element simulations of vaginal birth that are designed to predict maternal pelvic floor strains and potential locations of birth injury.

Megan Routzong is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at the University of California, San Diego. She obtained her Ph.D. in Bioengineering from University of Pittsburgh in 2021 while supported by an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and her B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from University of Rochester in 2016. Since graduate school, her research has primarily concerned female pelvic floor biomechanics and computational modeling related to pregnancy, childbirth, and pelvic floor disorders. Presently, she focuses on female pelvic skeletal muscle specifically, investigating how these tissues are altered by pregnancy, childbirth, injury, postpartum recovery, and aging.

ZOOM DETAILS:

https://columbiauniversity.zoom.us/j/94428739102?pwd=MnhpU1FUWklQOWUrQVhvTk1zbTVtUT09

Meeting ID: 944 2873 9102
Passcode: 820966