Prenatal Exercise Decreases Urinary Incontinence in Late Pregnancy and 3 Months Postpartum: A Randomized Controlled Trial

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a supervised exercise program, including pelvic floor muscle training, throughout pregnancy on Urinary Incontinence (UI).

METHODS: A randomized clinical trial (NCT04563065) was conducted. Initially, 600 pregnant women were screened for eligibility, with data from 356 participants eventually analyzed. Of these, 172 were allocated to the exercise group (EG) and 184 to the control group (CG). Participants in the EG engaged in a supervised moderate exercise program 3 d·wk -1 , each session lasting 60 min, from 8-10 to 38-40 wk of gestation, achieving an adherence rate of 73.5%.

RESULTS: A lower prevalence of UI in the EG compared with the CG was observed during late pregnancy ( χ2 = 20.04; P = 0.001) and at 3 months postpartum ( χ2 = 12.52; P = 0.03), as well as in birth weight ( F = 4.16; P = 0.04). No significant differences were found between the groups in other maternal and newborn outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS: Supervised exercise during pregnancy, which included pelvic floor muscle training, effectively reduced the incidence of UI in late pregnancy and at 3 months postpartum.