How important is the timing and duration of pelvic floor muscle training for preventing postpartum urinary incontinence? - meta-analysis

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by Eliana

Postpartum urinary incontinence (PUI) is a frequent postpartum condition that substantially reduces women’s quality of life after childbirth. This meta-analysis systematically assessed whether the timing and duration of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) affect prevention of PUI. Searches across multiple databases up to February 20, 2025 identified randomized controlled trials. Results from 11 RCTs showed PFMT significantly reduced PUI incidence and lowered risk at 3 and 6 months, though not immediately after delivery, with evidence limited by study quality.

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Abstract

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International Urology and Nephrology (2026) 58:147–159 [https://doi.org/10.1007/s1](https://doi.org/10.1007/s1) 1255-025-04640-w How important is the timing and duration of pelvic floor muscle training for preventing postpartum urinary incontinence? a meta‑analysis Yu Wang1 · Yan Zhuo1 · Hong Yan1 · Rong Zhao2 Received: 15 April 2025 / Accepted: 24 June 2025 / Published online: 8 July 2025 © The Author(s) 2025 Abstract Background Postpartum urinary incontinence (PUI) is a common condition that significantly impairs the quality of life for women who have given birth. This meta-analysis aimed to systematically evaluate how the timing and duration of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) influence the prevention of PUI. Methods To identify relevant studies examining the role of PFMT in preventing PUI, a thorough literature search was conducted across multiple databases up to February 20, 2025. These databases included PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, [ClinicalTrials.gov](ClinicalTrials.gov), OVID, Cochrane Library, Wanfang, CNKI, and Weipu. The search aimed to locate randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that specifically assessed PFMT’s impact on PUI prevention. The meta-analysis was subsequently performed using RevMan 5.4 software to synthesize and analyze the collected data. Results The meta-analysis included 11 RCTs that collectively involved 2778 parturient women, of whom 1495 received PFMT interventions. The pooled results demonstrated that PFMT significantly reduced the incidence of PUI (p < 0.001) . Subgroup analyses revealed that PFMT significantly decreased the risk of urinary incontinence at both 3 months (p< 0.001) and 6 months postpartum (p < 0.001) . However, PFMT did not significantly affect urinary incontinence immediately after childbirth (p = 0.69). No significant differences were observed in the improvement of urinary incontinence when comparing the initiation of PFMT during mid-to-late pregnancy versus postpartum or when considering PFMT durations of 3 months or less versus more than 3 months (all p >0.05) . Conclusion PFMT implemented during pregnancy and the postpartum period effectively reduces the incidence of PUI. Significant benefits of PFMT have been observed at both 3 and 6 months postpartum, indicating its efficacy across different time frames. However, given the limitations in the quality and sample sizes of the included RCTs, further investigation with large-scale, high-quality studies is warranted to more comprehensively elucidate the role of PFMT in managing PUI. Keywords Pelvic floor muscle training · Postpartum · Urinary incontinence · Nursing · Care · Prevention * Hong Yan [wenliu7598823@163.com](wenliu7598823@163.com) * Rong Zhao [iou8a1@sina.com](iou8a1@sina.com) 1 Department of Medical Ultrasonics, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, No. 18 Daoshan Road, Gulou District, Fuzhou 350001, Fujian, China 2 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, College of Clinical Medicine for Obstetrics & Gynecology and Pediatrics, Fujian Medical University, No.18 Daoshan Road, Gulou District, Fuzhou 350001, Fujian, China Abbreviations PFMT RCTs PRISMA RR CI Pelvic floor muscle training Randomized controlled trials Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses Relative risk Confidence interval Introduction The International Continence Society (ICS) defines urinary incontinence as the involuntary leakage of urine reported by the patient [1] . The prevalence of urinary incontinence among adult females ranges from 25 to 45%[2] . This high prevalence significantly impairs the quality of life. The etiology of urinary incontinence is multifactorial, with pregnancy and childbirth being major risk factors. The epidemiology of postpartum urinary incontinence indicates that it is a common condition affect

FAQs

What was the purpose of this meta-analysis?

To systematically evaluate how the timing and duration of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) influence prevention of postpartum urinary incontinence (PUI).

Which studies were included and how were they searched?

Randomized controlled trials assessing PFMT’s impact on PUI prevention were identified through a literature search across multiple databases up to February 20, 2025, then synthesized using RevMan 5.4.

Does PFMT help immediately after childbirth and at later time points?

PFMT did not significantly affect urinary incontinence immediately after childbirth, but it significantly reduced PUI risk at both 3 months and 6 months postpartum.

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by Eliana