The project that
I’m working is to create a biomechanical model of the pelvic floor in order to
better predict the forces placed on these muscles during pregnancy and how they
are related in the development of pelvic floor disorders. I chose this project
because there is a need for a tool that can be used for predictions on whether
a pregnant woman is at risk for developing pelvic floor disorder due to giving
vaginal birth. Through creating a model that could help predict a woman’s risk,
it could help determine that the risk is low for developing pelvic floor
disorders and a doctor could recommend giving vaginal birth or it could
determine that the risk is high and the doctor could recommend a C-section.
Long term it’s my
intention to move from the field of bioengineering into the field of
rehabilitation. In order to properly rehabilitate an individual, it’s necessary
to understand how current models were created and what their limitations are.
By working on this project, it’s giving me a firsthand experience on not only
what it’s like creating a new model from scratch but also be able to determine
the limitations that the model has. By understanding the limitations of current
models and through conducting research, it’s possible to improve these models
in order to better represent the system that’s being modeled.
On a weekly
basis, I read literature that’s been published in order to determine how
current models are able to simulate the birthing process as well as to obtain a
greater depth of information on how these specific muscles are able to perform
their intended function. While working on this project this semester, I found
that it’s massively important to continuously keep in contact with my mentors
and the doctors that we’re working with in order to make sure that the model is
staying as accurate as possible to the biological system.
