Early pelvic floor muscle exercise for postpartum stress urinary incontinence

Abstract

Objective To explore the effect of pelvic floor muscle exercise on postpartum stress urinary incontinence before and after childbirth.Methods 204 pregnant women were divided into three groups.The first group ( 68women ) started pelvic floor muscle exercises from 28 weeks of gestation to postpartum 3 months ( full-course group ); the second group ( 68 women ) received postpartum pelvic floor muscles exercis for 3 months ( postpartum group ) and thethird group ( 68 women ) received conventional care for childbirth ( control group ).The tension of pelvic floor muscles was observed before and 3 month after vaginal delivery and the positive rate of urine pad tests were observed 3,6,and 12months after childbirth.Results There were no differences among the three groups in muscle tension at 28 weeks ( P ＞ 0.05 ).But after that,the result of the full-course group was different,Ⅱ ＜ muscle tension ≤ Ⅲ of the vagina was obviously higher than postpartum group and full-course group ( P ＜ 0.05 ),muscle tension level less than I was obviously lower in full-course group than in postpartum group and control group ( P＜ 0.005 ); three months after vaginal delivery,Ⅱ ＜ muscle tension level≤ Ⅲ,it was significantly higher than postpartum group and control group ( P＜ 0.005 ),Ⅰ ＜ muscle tension level ≤ Ⅱ,and muscle tension level ≤ Ⅰ were lower than those in postpartum group and control group ( P＜ 0.05 and P＜ 0.005 ).The positive rate of urine pad tests at months 3,6,and 12 months after the childbirth was higher in the full-course group than in the postpartum and the control group ( P ＜ 0.005 ).Results Early pelvic floor muscle exercis during the perinatal period can increase tension of the pelvic floor muscles.It is helpful for the recovery of function of pelvic floor muscles and prevents postpartum stress urinary incontinence. Key words: Pregnant womee; Pelvic floor muscle exercise; Recovery of function; Stress urinary incontinence