Antenatal pelvic floor muscle exercise intervention led by midwives in England to reduce postnatal urinary incontinence: APPEAL feasibility and pilot randomised controlled cluster trial.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

To assess the feasibility of an intervention of midwifery support for antenatal pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFME) to prevent postnatal urinary incontinence (UI).

Design

Feasibility and pilot cluster randomised controlled trial. Clusters were community midwifery teams.

Setting

Community maternity antenatal care.

Participants

One hundred seventy-five women; 186 midwives.

Intervention

Midwifery training and resources for midwives and women to support antenatal PFME. Control clusters continued standard care.

Outcomes

Women reporting: that their midwife explained how to do PFME, PFME adherence and postpartum UI. Midwives reporting: pre-post-training PFME confidence, intervention acceptability. Fidelity of training delivery and implementat

SUBMITTER: MacArthur C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11751916 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature