Perineal Massage and Pelvic Floor Exercise in the Antenatal Period

The Effect of Perineal Massage and Pelvic Floor Exercise Applied in the Antenatal Period on Postpartum Sexuality and Incontinence: a Randomized Controlled Study

This study aimed to determine the effect of perineal massage and pelvic floor exercise in the antenatal period on sexuality and urinary and fecal incontinence in the postpartum period. This study will be conducted in a pregnant school at a state hospital in Turkey. An active control group will be formed as the control group. The control group will be given the "Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training" booklet prepared by the researchers. Experimental 1 group will receive perineal massage training in addition to the "Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training" booklet given to the control group. Experimental 2 group will receive pelvic floor exercises in addition to perineal massage training and the "Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training" booklet given to the control group.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Urinary Incontinence; Sexual Dysfunction; Fecal Incontinence; Sexuality
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training; Behavioral: Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training and Perineal Massage; Behavioral: Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training and Perineal Massage and Pelvic Floor Exercise

Detailed Description

The research was conducted as a randomized controlled trial. The simple randomization method will be used for the assignment to groups. The data of the research; will be collected using the Preliminary Evaluation Form, Personal Information Form, Female Sexual Function Index, The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-ICIQ-SF (Turkish Version), and Fecal Incontinence Severity Index. The research will start at the 34th week of pregnancy and the questionnaires will be administered in the 3rd month after delivery. There will be 3 groups in the research.An active control group will be formed as the control group. The control group will be given the "Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training" booklet prepared by the researchers. Experimental 1 group will receive perineal massage training in addition to the "Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training" booklet given to the control group. Experimental 2 group will receive pelvic floor exercises in addition to perineal massage training and the "Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training" booklet given to the control group.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 75
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey
  • Karabük, Turkey
    • Karabük Health and Training Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 49 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• being over 18 years old,
• being 32-34th pregnancy weeks,
• being not experiencing any complications in the mother and fetus during pregnancy (gestational diabetes, hypertension, preeclampsia, intrauterine growth retardation, congenital anomaly, etc.),
• having a singleton pregnancy,
• being primiparous
• being volunteer to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• elective cesarean section planning,
• having a history of chronic constipation,
• having a previous history of urinary or anal incontinence,
• having genital infection with lesions (HSV, HPV, Syphilis, Candida Albicans, Chancroid)

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: Control Group; Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training	Behavioral: Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training; The "Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training" booklet is cover weight control, perineal hygiene, adequate fluid consumption, not smoking and alcohol use, avoidance of spicy, fizzy and fatty foods and beverages, correct posture and frequency of micturition, prevention of constipation and abdominal pressure.
Experimental: Experimental Group 1; Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training and Perineal Massage	Behavioral: Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training; The "Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training" booklet is cover weight control, perineal hygiene, adequate fluid consumption, not smoking and alcohol use, avoidance of spicy, fizzy and fatty foods and beverages, correct posture and frequency of micturition, prevention of constipation and abdominal pressure.; Behavioral: Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training and Perineal Massage; Women will apply perineal massage for an average of 8-10 minutes at least twice a week, starting from the 34th week of pregnancy until delivery. In addition to perineal massage, the "Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training" booklet will be given to participant.
Experimental: Experimental Group 2; Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training and Perineal Massage and Pelvic Floor Exercise	Behavioral: Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training; The "Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training" booklet is cover weight control, perineal hygiene, adequate fluid consumption, not smoking and alcohol use, avoidance of spicy, fizzy and fatty foods and beverages, correct posture and frequency of micturition, prevention of constipation and abdominal pressure.; Behavioral: Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training and Perineal Massage; Women will apply perineal massage for an average of 8-10 minutes at least twice a week, starting from the 34th week of pregnancy until delivery. In addition to perineal massage, the "Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training" booklet will be given to participant.; Behavioral: Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training and Perineal Massage and Pelvic Floor Exercise; Women assigned to this group will apply pelvic floor exercise at least 3 days a week 8-12 times a week, starting from the 34th week of pregnancy until delivery. In addition, women will apply perineal massage for an average of 8-10 minutes at least twice a week, starting from the 34th week of pregnancy until delivery. In addition to perineal massage, the "Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Prevention Training" booklet will be given to participant.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Female Sexual Function Index	In the structure of the scale; There are 6 sub-dimensions: desire, arousal, lubrication (lubrication, wetting), orgasm, satisfaction and pain.The highest raw score that can be obtained from the scale is 95 and the lowest raw score is 4.After sub-dimension averages were multiplied by factor loads, the highest score that could be obtained from the scale was calculated as 36 and the lowest score as 2. High score means better function.	Postpartum 12th weeks
The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-ICIQ	The International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-ICIQ-SF (Turkish Version) is a scale for evaluating every aspect of urinary incontinence and its impact on quality of life.It consists of 6 questions.The ICIQ Total Score is calculated by the sum of the 3+4+5 questions and scores between 0 and 21. If the score is high and close to 21, it shows that it is overly affected.	Postpartum 12th weeks
Fecal Incontinence Severity Index-FISI	It is an index developed to diagnose the frequency and type of fecal incontinence.It defines the type of fecal incontinence in four types and its frequency in five categories. The index score is calculated by summing the numbers corresponding to each box and the patient score. In patient-weighted scoring, the highest score that can be obtained from the index is 61 and the lowest score is 0.The cut-off score of the index is 31.7.	Postpartum 12th weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Bitlis Eren University
• Collaborators: Gazi University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Sultan Özkan Şat, Dr, Bitlis Eren University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 1, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 20, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): November 20, 2023

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: November 13, 2022
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: November 13, 2022
• First Posted (Actual): November 21, 2022

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 25, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 16, 2025
• Last Verified: November 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Urogenital Diseases; Male Urogenital Diseases; Urologic Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases; Female Urogenital Diseases and Pregnancy Complications; Intestinal Diseases; Urination Disorders; Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms; Urological Manifestations; Digestive System Diseases; Gastrointestinal Diseases; Rectal Diseases; Urinary Incontinence; Fecal Incontinence
• Other Study ID Numbers: SULTANOZKANSAT

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No
• product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.: No