The Effect of Pelvic Floor Exercises During Pregnancy on Obstetric Outcomes and Urinary Incontinence: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial
Overview
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Recruiting
- Sponsor
- Selcuk University
- Enrollment
- 151
- Locations
- 1
- Primary Endpoint
- Comparison of the sociodemographic characteristics of pregnant women before the training with a survey.
Overview
Brief Summary
The Effect of Pelvic Floor Exercises During Pregnancy on Obstetric Outcomes and Urinary Incontinence: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial
Detailed Description
The study is a randomized controlled trial. It will be conducted at Konya City Hospital between December 2025 and June 2026. A total of 151 primiparous pregnant women will be included in the study (intervention group n=75, control group n=76). The intervention group will receive a pelvic floor exercise program, while the control group will not perform any pelvic floor exercises. Data will be collected using a personal information form, a pre-labor and post-labor follow-up form, and the Michigan Incontinence Severity Index.
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Supportive Care
- Masking
- Single (Participant)
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 18 Years to 45 Years (Adult)
- Sex
- Female
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •Registered in the hospital's prenatal school and actively participating in the 3-day training sessions,
- •Aged between 18 and 35 years,
- •Between 28 and 30 weeks of gestation,
- •Having a singleton and low-risk pregnancy,
- •Primiparous (expecting their first birth),
- •Voluntarily agreeing to participate by signing the written informed consent form,
- •Able to read, understand, and communicate in Turkish.
Exclusion Criteria
- •Those who have previously given birth vaginally or by cesarean section (multiparous women),
- •Those with multiple pregnancies,
- •Those who conceived through assisted reproductive techniques,
- •Those diagnosed with serious obstetric or medical complications during pregnancy (e.g., preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, risk of preterm birth),
- •Those with chronic constipation or cough,
- •Those who are overweight or obese,
- •Those with chronic or recurrent urinary tract infections,
- •Those with a history of psychiatric diagnosis or currently receiving psychiatric treatment,
- •Those with a diagnosis of or treatment for urinary incontinence,
- •Those unable to regularly attend the education sessions or who discontinue the program,
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Comparison of the sociodemographic characteristics of pregnant women before the training with a survey.
Time Frame: 7 month
Sociodemographic information of pregnant women will be collected through surveys, compared, and reported.
Comparison of obstetric characteristics of pregnant women before the training with a questionnaire.
Time Frame: 7 month
Obstetric data of pregnant women will be collected through questionnaires, compared, and reported.
Comparison of delivery methods among pregnant women across groups.
Time Frame: 7 month
Labor and postpartum data will be collected, compared, and reported using a follow-up form.
Comparison of the severity of episiotomy in pregnant women between groups.
Time Frame: 7 month
Pregnancy and postpartum follow-up data will be collected, compared, and reported using a form.
Comparison of the Michigan Incontinence Severity Index for pregnant women between groups.
Time Frame: 7 month
The Michigan Incontinence Severity Index (M-ISI) will be administered to pregnant women. The scale consists of three subscales: stress incontinence, urge incontinence, and pad use/discomfort. Each subscale is scored separately. The RM-ISI ranges from 0 to 40 points (min-max), a higher score indicates more severe symptoms/discomfort for the relevant subscale.
Secondary Outcomes
No secondary outcomes reported
Investigators
Seyhan Çankaya
Assoc. Prof. Seyhan Çankaya
Selcuk University