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Does regular exercise including pelvic floor muscle training prevent urinary and anal incontinence during pregnancy? A randomised controlled trial.

Stafne, S ; Salvesen, Kjell LU ; Romundstad, P ; Torjusen, I and Mørkved, S (2012) In BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology 119(10). p.1270-1280
Abstract
Please cite this paper as: Stafne S, Salvesen K, Romundstad P, Torjusen I, Mørkved S. Does regular exercise including pelvic floor muscle training prevent urinary and anal incontinence during pregnancy? A randomised controlled trial. BJOG 2012; DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2012.03426.x. Objective To assess whether pregnant women following a general exercise course, including pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), were less likely to report urinary and anal incontinence in late pregnancy than a group of women receiving standard care. Design A two-armed, two-centred randomised controlled trial. Setting Trondheim University Hospital (St. Olavs Hospital) and Stavanger University Hospital, in Norway. Population A total of 855 women were included in... (More)
Please cite this paper as: Stafne S, Salvesen K, Romundstad P, Torjusen I, Mørkved S. Does regular exercise including pelvic floor muscle training prevent urinary and anal incontinence during pregnancy? A randomised controlled trial. BJOG 2012; DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2012.03426.x. Objective To assess whether pregnant women following a general exercise course, including pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), were less likely to report urinary and anal incontinence in late pregnancy than a group of women receiving standard care. Design A two-armed, two-centred randomised controlled trial. Setting Trondheim University Hospital (St. Olavs Hospital) and Stavanger University Hospital, in Norway. Population A total of 855 women were included in this trial. Methods The intervention was a 12-week exercise programme, including PFMT, conducted between 20 and 36 weeks of gestation. One weekly group session was led by physiotherapists, and home exercises were encouraged at least twice a week. Controls received regular antenatal care. Main outcome measures Self-reported urinary and anal incontinence after the intervention period (at 32-36 weeks of gestation). Results Fewer women in the intervention group reported any weekly urinary incontinence (11 versus 19%, P = 0.004). Fewer women in the intervention group reported faecal incontinence (3 versus 5%), but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.18). Conclusions The present trial indicates that pregnant women should exercise, and in particular do PFMT, to prevent and treat urinary incontinence in late pregnancy. Thorough instruction is important, and specific pelvic floor muscle exercises should be included in exercise classes for pregnant women. The preventive effect of PFMT on anal incontinence should be explored in future trials. (Less)
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author
; ; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology
volume
119
issue
10
pages
1270 - 1280
publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
external identifiers
  • wos:000307442600015
  • pmid:22804796
  • scopus:84865142048
  • pmid:22804796
ISSN
1471-0528
DOI
10.1111/j.1471-0528.2012.03426.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
f3429180-597d-479a-9111-ae1da69e35f9 (old id 2967038)
alternative location
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22804796?dopt=Abstract
date added to LUP
2016-04-04 09:12:50
date last changed
2022-03-31 01:31:20
@article{f3429180-597d-479a-9111-ae1da69e35f9,
  abstract     = {{Please cite this paper as: Stafne S, Salvesen K, Romundstad P, Torjusen I, Mørkved S. Does regular exercise including pelvic floor muscle training prevent urinary and anal incontinence during pregnancy? A randomised controlled trial. BJOG 2012; DOI: 10.1111/j.1471-0528.2012.03426.x. Objective To assess whether pregnant women following a general exercise course, including pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), were less likely to report urinary and anal incontinence in late pregnancy than a group of women receiving standard care. Design A two-armed, two-centred randomised controlled trial. Setting Trondheim University Hospital (St. Olavs Hospital) and Stavanger University Hospital, in Norway. Population A total of 855 women were included in this trial. Methods The intervention was a 12-week exercise programme, including PFMT, conducted between 20 and 36 weeks of gestation. One weekly group session was led by physiotherapists, and home exercises were encouraged at least twice a week. Controls received regular antenatal care. Main outcome measures Self-reported urinary and anal incontinence after the intervention period (at 32-36 weeks of gestation). Results Fewer women in the intervention group reported any weekly urinary incontinence (11 versus 19%, P = 0.004). Fewer women in the intervention group reported faecal incontinence (3 versus 5%), but this difference was not statistically significant (P = 0.18). Conclusions The present trial indicates that pregnant women should exercise, and in particular do PFMT, to prevent and treat urinary incontinence in late pregnancy. Thorough instruction is important, and specific pelvic floor muscle exercises should be included in exercise classes for pregnant women. The preventive effect of PFMT on anal incontinence should be explored in future trials.}},
  author       = {{Stafne, S and Salvesen, Kjell and Romundstad, P and Torjusen, I and Mørkved, S}},
  issn         = {{1471-0528}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{10}},
  pages        = {{1270--1280}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley-Blackwell}},
  series       = {{BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics & Gynaecology}},
  title        = {{Does regular exercise including pelvic floor muscle training prevent urinary and anal incontinence during pregnancy? A randomised controlled trial.}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2012.03426.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1471-0528.2012.03426.x}},
  volume       = {{119}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}