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Pelvic floor awareness and the positive effect of verbal instructions in 958 women early postdelivery

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Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

It is uncertain how reliable a personal belief is about the ability to do pelvic floor muscle (PFM) contractions early postdelivery and how instructional feedback affects pelvic floor muscle contraction (PFMC) performance. We hypothesize that many women do not have a reliable idea about PFMC and that instructional feedback can help improve their control.

Methods

Prospective observational study in 958 women (median 30 years) early postdelivery PFMC was evaluated with visual observation: an inward movement of the perineum was accepted as sign of good contraction. The women who could not show PFMC three consecutive times got verbal instructions, and re-evaluation was afterward.

Results

In 500 women, no inward movement of the perineum was observed: 275 women (29 %) showed no movement at all, and 225 women (24 %) showed some movement but no inward displacement. In 33.4 %, the personal conviction to be able or not to perform PFMC proved false. After verbal instructions, 74 % improved their PFMC.

Conclusions

The belief of doing correct PFM contraction was false in at least one of five postpartum women. Verbal instructions have a positive effect on performing PFMC in 73.6 % of women.

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Abbreviations

PFM:

Pelvic floor muscles

PFMC:

Pelvic floor muscle contraction

PFMT:

Pelvic floor muscle training

UI:

Urinary incontinence

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank all pelvic floor therapists and women who participated in this study.

Conflicts of interest

None.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Antwerp Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium

    Alexandra Vermandel, Stefan De Wachter, Tessi Beyltjens, Diona D’Hondt, Yves Jacquemyn & Jean Jacques Wyndaele

  2. Department of Urology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijkstraat 10, 2650, Edegem, Belgium

    Alexandra Vermandel

Authors
  1. Alexandra Vermandel
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  2. Stefan De Wachter
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  3. Tessi Beyltjens
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  4. Diona D’Hondt
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  5. Yves Jacquemyn
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  6. Jean Jacques Wyndaele
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alexandra Vermandel.

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Vermandel, A., De Wachter, S., Beyltjens, T. et al. Pelvic floor awareness and the positive effect of verbal instructions in 958 women early postdelivery. Int Urogynecol J 26, 223–228 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-014-2483-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-014-2483-x

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