This clinical evaluation study was carried out to compare the strength of abdominal muscles and some respiratory function indices in volunteer women of childbearing  age.

The  population   for this   study comprised: volunteer  female   staff   of  the   University   College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan; female students of the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan and post­ natal patients of UCH,  Ibadan,  Nigeria.  One hundred women of childbearing age volunteered to participate in the study; they comprised 50  post­ parous and 50 nulliparous subjects who were recruited as they became available. Data were collected over a period of 8 weeks. The vital capacity (VC), peak expiratory flow  rate (PEFR) and strength of the abdominal muscles were measured . The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics of mean, standard de viation and inferential statistics  of t-test at 0. 05 alpha  level of significance.

The results showed that while PEFR and abdominal muscle strength  were significantly  higher in the nulliparous group (p < 0.05). vital capacity, a ventilatory parameter,  was not significantly  different in the two groups. The study concluded that the significantly lower abdominal muscle strength and PEFR in the post-parous subjects can be attributed to restrictive anatomical features  of the rib cage.

The study therefore recommended that there is a need for obstetricians in charge of ante and post­ natal women to refer them for physiotherapy for abdominal muscle strengthening programmes.  This will strengthen their abdominal muscles and promote respiratory  efficiency.

 

Key  words:  Parity,  respiratory   function  indices, abdominal muscle strength.