Breathing Exercises Versus Incentive Spirometry in Third-Trimester Pregnancy

January 15, 2026 updated by: Adnan Hashim, University of Lahore

Comparative Effects of Deep Breathing Exercises and Volume-oriented Incentive Spirometry on Dyspnea, Functional Endurance, and Pulmonary Function During the Third Trimester of Pregnancy

Shortness of breath (dyspnea) is commonly experienced during the third trimester of pregnancy due to physiological changes affecting the respiratory system. Non-pharmacological breathing interventions are often recommended to improve breathing comfort and functional capacity in pregnant women.

This randomized controlled trial compared the effects of deep breathing exercises and volume-oriented incentive spirometry on dyspnea, functional endurance, and pulmonary function in women during the third trimester of pregnancy. Eligible participants were randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups. One group performed supervised deep breathing exercises, while the other group performed volume-oriented incentive spirometry exercises.

Outcomes were measured before and after the intervention period and included the severity of dyspnea, functional endurance, and pulmonary function parameters. The results of this study aim to provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of simple, safe, and non-invasive breathing interventions for improving respiratory outcomes during late pregnancy.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This study was a randomized controlled trial designed to evaluate and compare the effects of two non-pharmacological respiratory interventions in women during the third trimester of pregnancy. Physiological changes during pregnancy, such as diaphragmatic elevation and increased oxygen demand, can contribute to dyspnea and reduced functional endurance. Safe and effective breathing interventions may help alleviate these symptoms without pharmacological risk.

Eligible pregnant women in their third trimester who met the inclusion criteria were recruited and randomly allocated into two intervention groups using a randomization method. Participants in Group A received a structured deep breathing exercise program, which focused on slow, controlled inhalation and exhalation techniques performed under supervision. Participants in Group B received volume-oriented incentive spirometry training, which encouraged sustained maximal inspiration using a standard incentive spirometer device.

Both interventions were administered according to a predefined protocol over the study period. Outcome measures were assessed at baseline and after completion of the intervention period. Primary outcomes included the assessment of dyspnea severity. Secondary outcomes included measures of functional endurance and pulmonary function.

The study was conducted in accordance with ethical standards and received approval from the institutional ethics review committee. All participants provided informed consent prior to participation. The findings of this study are intended to contribute to evidence-based physical therapy practice by identifying effective, low-risk breathing interventions for managing dyspnea and improving respiratory function during the third trimester of pregnancy.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

36

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Pakistan
    • Punjab Province
      • Lahore, Punjab Province, Pakistan, 54000
        • Department of Physical Therapy, The University of Lahore

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • - Participants aged between 18 and 40 years
  • Blood pressure below 140/90 mmHg
  • Not pregnant
  • Primigravida women
  • Participants in the third trimester of pregnancy
  • Able to understand and follow instructions
  • Willing to participate and provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

  • - History of cardiovascular disorders
  • History of respiratory disorders
  • History of psychological disorders
  • History of medical or surgical conditions involving the nose, throat, diaphragm, or lungs
  • Any condition that could interfere with participation in breathing exercises or spirometry

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Deep Breathing Exercise Group
Participants assigned to this arm performed a structured deep breathing exercise program consisting of slow, controlled inhalation and exhalation techniques under supervision during the intervention period.
Other: Deep Breathing Exercises
Deep breathing exercises focused on diaphragmatic breathing with slow, deep inhalation followed by controlled exhalation. The exercises were performed according to a standardized protocol under supervision.
Experimental: Incentive Spirometry Group
Participants assigned to this arm performed volume-oriented incentive spirometry exercises using a standard incentive spirometer according to a predefined protocol during the intervention period.
Device: Volume-Oriented Incentive Spirometry
Volume-oriented incentive spirometry involved slow, sustained maximal inspiration using an incentive spirometer device to encourage lung expansion and improve respiratory function, performed under supervision according to protocol.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Functional Endurance
Time Frame: Baseline and at the end of the intervention period (approximately 6 weeks)
Functional endurance was assessed using the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), which measures the total distance walked by a participant on a flat surface over six minutes. The outcome is reported in meters, with higher values indicating better functional endurance. The minimum possible value is 0 meters, and there is no predefined maximum value.
Baseline and at the end of the intervention period (approximately 6 weeks)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Forced Expiratory Volume in One Second (FEV₁)
Time Frame: Baseline and at the end of the intervention period (approximately 6 weeks)
Pulmonary function was assessed using spirometry by measuring Forced Expiratory Volume in one second (FEV₁). FEV₁ is reported in liters, with higher values indicating better pulmonary function.
Baseline and at the end of the intervention period (approximately 6 weeks)
Forced Vital Capacity (FVC)
Time Frame: Baseline and at the end of the intervention period (approximately 6 weeks)
Pulmonary function was assessed using spirometry by measuring Forced Vital Capacity (FVC). FVC is reported in liters, with higher values indicating better pulmonary function.
Baseline and at the end of the intervention period (approximately 6 weeks)

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Lahore

Collaborators

University of Lahore Hospital (ULH)

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

April 5, 2025

Primary Completion (Actual)

July 5, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

August 8, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 4, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 15, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

January 26, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

January 26, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 15, 2026

Last Verified

January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • PHRI/IREB/26/01/0023

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data will not be shared because this study was conducted as a university-based academic research project with data collected for thesis purposes. The informed consent obtained from participants did not include provisions for public data sharing, and the dataset contains sensitive personal health information. Data will be stored securely at the institution and used only for academic and research purposes in accordance with institutional ethics approval.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Dyspnea During Pregnancy

Clinical Trials on Deep Breathing Exercises

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in Austria

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe