Effect of Antenatal Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise on Mode of Delivery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

<b><i>Background:</i></b> Vaginal delivery is the best end of the pregnancy for the mother and the newborn. <b><i>Aim:</i></b> To evaluate the impacts of short-term antenatal pelvic floor muscle (PFM) exercises on a woman’s mode of delivery. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> This is a randomized controlled trial that recruited 20 healthy pregnant women aged between 20 and 25 years and able to contract the PFMs. The participants were included in the study at 20 weeks of gestation (WG) and were randomly allocated to one of two groups: the intervention group (<i>n</i> = 10) or the control group (<i>n</i> = 10). PFM strength was measured by vaginal squeeze pressure at 20 and 36 WG, and delivery outcomes were evaluated by a blinded searcher from the birth registry after labor. <b><i>Results:</i></b> There were no statistically significant changes between both groups at baseline regarding gestational age, type of labor, previous pregnancy complications, and PFM strength (<i>p</i> > 0.05). There was a significant change between both groups in mean PFM strength at 36 WG (<i>p</i> < 0.05). A significant correlation was observed between PFM strength at 36 WG and mode of delivery (vaginal delivery: <i>r</i> = 0.58, <i>p</i> < 0.05; caesarean delivery: <i>r</i> = –0.49, <i>p</i> < 0.05). <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> PFM exercise is recommended for healthy pregnant women as a safe and inexpensive strategy for increasing the vaginal delivery rate.