{"title":"Interventions for Maintaining Pelvic Floor Health During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review.","authors":"Yuxuan Wu, Yanbo Zhong, Chao Xu, Hang Li, Mengting Chen, Ling Xu","doi":"10.1002/pri.70077","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and purpose: </strong>Pregnancy is a unique life stage for women and is also an independent risk factor for pelvic floor disorders (PFD). Physiological changes during pregnancy can weaken pelvic floor support, potentially leading to common pelvic floor dysfunctions such as urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, chronic pelvic pain, sexual dysfunction, rectus diastasis, and pelvic organ prolapse if left unaddressed. Early preventive interventions are recommended to reduce the overall incidence of PFD. This review aims to summarize various preventive health care strategies for pelvic floor health during pregnancy.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted, focusing on studies related to pelvic floor health care during pregnancy. Relevant articles were selected based on their contributions to understanding preventive measures and interventions aimed at maintaining pelvic floor health.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The research findings outline effective methods for pelvic floor health care during pregnancy, including health education, breathing exercises, pelvic floor muscle training, weight management, perineal massage, and holistic exercise programs. The literature search spanned six electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, and Weipu) with 60 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Given the profound impact of pelvic floor dysfunction on women's quality of life, these strategies can specifically alleviate pelvic floor strain during pregnancy, improve delivery outcomes, promote postpartum recovery, and reduce the risk of PFD, thereby playing a significant role in supporting the overall health of mothers.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>Emphasizing early management of pelvic floor health is crucial for the recovery of pelvic floor tissues in pregnant women and should be widely implemented in clinical practice. Healthcare providers should consider each pregnant woman's individual health status, physical abilities, and maternal-fetal safety to develop personalized exercise plans, employing appropriate strategies for early intervention against the pelvic floor during pregnancy which may successfully prevent pelvic floor disorders in women.</p>","PeriodicalId":47243,"journal":{"name":"Physiotherapy Research International","volume":"30 3","pages":"e70077"},"PeriodicalIF":1.8000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Physiotherapy Research International","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pri.70077","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"REHABILITATION","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Background and purpose: Pregnancy is a unique life stage for women and is also an independent risk factor for pelvic floor disorders (PFD). Physiological changes during pregnancy can weaken pelvic floor support, potentially leading to common pelvic floor dysfunctions such as urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, chronic pelvic pain, sexual dysfunction, rectus diastasis, and pelvic organ prolapse if left unaddressed. Early preventive interventions are recommended to reduce the overall incidence of PFD. This review aims to summarize various preventive health care strategies for pelvic floor health during pregnancy.
Methods: A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted, focusing on studies related to pelvic floor health care during pregnancy. Relevant articles were selected based on their contributions to understanding preventive measures and interventions aimed at maintaining pelvic floor health.
Results: The research findings outline effective methods for pelvic floor health care during pregnancy, including health education, breathing exercises, pelvic floor muscle training, weight management, perineal massage, and holistic exercise programs. The literature search spanned six electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, and Weipu) with 60 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Given the profound impact of pelvic floor dysfunction on women's quality of life, these strategies can specifically alleviate pelvic floor strain during pregnancy, improve delivery outcomes, promote postpartum recovery, and reduce the risk of PFD, thereby playing a significant role in supporting the overall health of mothers.
Discussion: Emphasizing early management of pelvic floor health is crucial for the recovery of pelvic floor tissues in pregnant women and should be widely implemented in clinical practice. Healthcare providers should consider each pregnant woman's individual health status, physical abilities, and maternal-fetal safety to develop personalized exercise plans, employing appropriate strategies for early intervention against the pelvic floor during pregnancy which may successfully prevent pelvic floor disorders in women.
背景与目的:妊娠期是女性独特的生命阶段,也是骨盆底疾病(PFD)的独立危险因素。怀孕期间的生理变化会削弱对盆底的支持,如果不加以解决,可能导致常见的盆底功能障碍,如尿失禁、大便失禁、慢性盆腔疼痛、性功能障碍、直肌转移和盆腔器官脱垂。建议早期预防干预以减少PFD的总发病率。本文综述了妊娠期盆底健康的各种预防保健策略。方法:对有关妊娠期盆底保健的文献进行全面回顾。相关文章的选择是基于它们对理解旨在维持盆底健康的预防措施和干预措施的贡献。结果:研究结果概述了怀孕期间盆底保健的有效方法,包括健康教育、呼吸练习、盆底肌肉训练、体重管理、会阴按摩和整体运动计划。文献检索跨越6个电子数据库(PubMed、Cochrane Library、Web of Science、CNKI、万方、weiipu),有60篇研究符合纳入标准。鉴于盆底功能障碍对女性生活质量的深远影响,这些策略可以特异性地缓解妊娠期盆底劳损,改善分娩结局,促进产后恢复,降低PFD的风险,从而在支持母亲的整体健康方面发挥重要作用。讨论:强调盆底健康的早期管理对孕妇盆底组织的恢复至关重要,应在临床实践中广泛实施。医疗保健提供者应考虑每个孕妇的个人健康状况、身体能力和母胎安全,制定个性化的运动计划,在怀孕期间采用适当的策略对盆底进行早期干预,这可能成功地预防妇女盆底疾病。
期刊介绍:
Physiotherapy Research International is an international peer reviewed journal dedicated to the exchange of knowledge that is directly relevant to specialist areas of physiotherapy theory, practice, and research. Our aim is to promote a high level of scholarship and build on the current evidence base to inform the advancement of the physiotherapy profession. We publish original research on a wide range of topics e.g. Primary research testing new physiotherapy treatments; methodological research; measurement and outcome research and qualitative research of interest to researchers, clinicians and educators. Further, we aim to publish high quality papers that represent the range of cultures and settings where physiotherapy services are delivered. We attract a wide readership from physiotherapists and others working in diverse clinical and academic settings. We aim to promote an international debate amongst the profession about current best evidence based practice. Papers are directed primarily towards the physiotherapy profession, but can be relevant to a wide range of professional groups. The growth of interdisciplinary research is also key to our aims and scope, and we encourage relevant submissions from other professional groups. The journal actively encourages submissions which utilise a breadth of different methodologies and research designs to facilitate addressing key questions related to the physiotherapy practice. PRI seeks to encourage good quality topical debates on a range of relevant issues and promote critical reflection on decision making and implementation of physiotherapy interventions.