title: A randomized controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle exercises to treat postnatal urinary incontinence.
abstract: A randomized controlled trial was carried out to evaluate the extent to which a program of reinforced pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFME) reduces urinary incontinence 1 year after delivery. Two hundred and thirty women who were incontinent 3 months postpartum were randomized to either a control group doing standard postnatal pelvic floor muscle exercises (n = 117) or to an intervention group (n = 113) who saw a physiotherapist for instruction at approximately 3, 4, 6 and 9 months postpartum. Results collected 12 months after delivery included prevalence and frequency of incontinence and PFME, sexual satisfaction, perineometry measurements and pad tests. Twenty-six (22%) of the control group and 59 (52%) of the intervention group withdrew before the final assessment. The prevalence of incontinence was significantly less in the intervention group than in the control group (50% versus 76%, P=0.0003), and this group also did significantly more PFME. There were no significant differences between the groups as regards sexual satisfaction, perineometry measurements or pad test results.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, New Zealand.
authors.forename: P D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Herbison
mesh_terms: D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy*