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A randomized controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle exercises to treat postnatal urinary incontinence

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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.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand

    P. D. Wilson & G. P. Herbison

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  1. P. D. Wilson
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  2. G. P. Herbison
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Wilson, P.D., Herbison, G.P. A randomized controlled trial of pelvic floor muscle exercises to treat postnatal urinary incontinence. Int Urogynecol J 9, 257–264 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01901501

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