Prenatal Exercise Decreases Urinary Incontinence in Late Pregnancy and Three Months Postpartum: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a supervised exercise program, including Pelvic Floor Muscle Training (PFMT), throughout pregnancy on Urinary Incontinence (UI). Methods A randomized clinical trial (NCT04563065) was conducted. Initially, 600 pregnant women were screened for eligibility, with data from 356 participants eventually analyzed. Of these, 172 were allocated to the Exercise Group (EG) and 184 to the Control Group (CG). Participants in the EG engaged in a supervised moderate exercise program three days per week, each session lasting 60 minutes, from 8-10 weeks to 38-40 weeks of gestation, achieving an adherence rate of 73.5%. Results A lower prevalence of UI in the EG compared to the CG was observed during late pregnancy (χ2 = 20.04; p = 0.001) and at three months postpartum (χ2 = 12.52; p = 0.03), as well as in birth weight (F = 4.16; p = 0.04). No significant differences were found between the groups in other maternal and newborn outcomes. Conclusions Supervised exercise during pregnancy, which included PFMT, effectively reduced the incidence of urinary incontinence in late pregnancy and at three months postpartum.