Sitting on the fence: A qualitative study of perceptions regarding pelvic floor muscle training among pregnant women with urinary incontinence.
Ling Chen, Sha Liu, Danli Zhang and 1 others
PMID 38020834WHAT IT FOUND
Pregnant women with urinary leakage described it as normal and mild, so they ignored pelvic floor muscle training.
They feared harming the fetus or lacked time and guidance. They wanted professional supervision and proof of benefit before committing to the exercises.
Key findings
01More than half of the participants believed urinary incontinence during pregnancy was unavoidable and normal, which led to insufficient attention to pelvic floor muscle training.
02Barriers to practicing pelvic floor muscle training included fear of harming the fetus, lack of knowledge on correct technique, limited time, and discomfort with invasive assessment methods.
03Participants stated they would engage in training only if they received professional guidance, a clear protocol, and evidence of its benefits.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The study was conducted in a first-line city in China with participants who generally had high educational levels, so the findings may not apply to women with less access to education or different cultural backgrounds. The data analysts were unmarried women who had never been pregnant, which the authors note may have influenced the interpretation of the participants' experiences. The small sample size of 16 participants limits the transferability of the themes to the broader population of pregnant women.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest. The study was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the National Ministry of Education, and Shenzhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, but the funding bodies did not participate in the study design, data collection, analysis, or writing.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these findings as evidence that pelvic floor muscle training is ineffective or that nurses should stop recommending it. The study describes why pregnant women choose not to exercise, not the physiological outcome of the exercise. The barriers identified, such as fear of fetal harm and lack of time, are perceptions that can be addressed through education and tailored support, rather than facts about the intervention's safety or efficacy.