A randomized controlled trial of antenatal pelvic floor exercises to prevent and treat urinary incontinence.
OBJECTIVE
the aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of antenatal pelvic floor muscle exercise (PFME) in the prevention and treatment of urinary incontinence during pregnancy and postpartum period.


METHODS
three hundred women were randomly assigned to the PFME group and control group. Urinary symptoms were measured by Urogenital Distress Inventory-6 (UDI-6), Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-7 (IIQ-7), and question of self-reported urinary incontinence. Questionnaire scores of the PFME and the control groups were compared and analyzed.


RESULTS
during late pregnancy and the postpartum period, the PFME group had significantly lower total UDI-6 and IIQ-7 scores; their self-report rate of urinary incontinence was also less than the control group. Additionally, we found whether in PFME or control, women who delivered vaginally were more likely to develop postpartum urinary leakage than women who delivered by cesarean section.


CONCLUSIONS
PFME applied in pregnancy is effective in the treatment and prevention of urinary incontinence during pregnancy, and this effect may persist to postpartum period.
Ko
Po-Chun
PC
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, 5, Fu-Shin Street, Kweishan, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Republic of China, 333.
Liang
Ching-Chung
CC
Chang
Shuenn-Dhy
SD
Lee
Jian-Tao
JT
Chao
An-Shine
AS
Cheng
Po-Jen
PJ
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002585:Cesarean Section; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017773:Pelvic Floor / Q000502:physiology*; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000628:therapy*