Top

International Urogynecology Journal

Published in:

01-10-2017 | Original Article

Pregnant women’s awareness, knowledge and beliefs about pelvic floor muscles: a cross-sectional survey

Authors: Anne-Marie Hill, Steven M. McPhail, Judith M. Wilson, Richard G. Berlach

Published in: International Urogynecology Journal | Issue 10/2017

Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

Pregnant women benefit from completing pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFMEs). The aims of the study were to evaluate pregnant women’s levels of awareness, knowledge, and beliefs about the pelvic floor muscles (PFMs) and PFMEs.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted. Respondents were pregnant women over the age of 18 years who attended antenatal clinics in Western Australia (WA). Questionnaire items measured awareness and knowledge about PFMs, confidence and beliefs about engaging in PFMEs, and attendance at antenatal education (ANE) classes. Chi-squared tests examined potential associations between questionnaire items and respondent characteristics.

Results

Mean gestation of respondents (n = 633 out of 850; 74% response rate) was 28.7 (+7.8) weeks and 50% were giving birth for the first time. Although 76% of respondents knew that PFMs can prevent urinary incontinence, only 27% knew that they prevented faecal incontinence and 41% thought it was normal to leak urine when pregnant. Only n = 72 (11%) were practicing PFMEs. Respondents who had attended ANE (28%) were significantly more knowledgeable about pelvic floor function (p < .001) and significantly less likely to believe that leaking urine during pregnancy was normal (p = 0.02), compared with those who had not attended ANE. Respondents who did not speak English at home (18%) were significantly less knowledgeable about PFMs and PFMEs, and significantly less likely to have attended, or planned to attend, ANE classes.

Conclusion

Pregnant women require more health education regarding PFMs. Education should be provided using diverse modes, especially for women from migrant backgrounds and women who do not plan to attend formal ANE classes.

Whitford HM, Alder B, Jones M. A cross-sectional study of knowledge and practice of pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy and associated symptoms of stress urinary incontinence in North-East Scotland. Midwifery. 2007;23:204–17. doi:10.1016/j.midw.2006.06.006.CrossRefPubMed

Sangsawang B, Sangsawang N. Stress urinary incontinence in pregnant women: a review of prevalence, pathophysiology, and treatment. Int Urogynecol J. 2013;24:901–12. doi:10.1007/s00192-013-2061-7.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Rortveit G, Daltveit AK, Hannestad YS, Hunskaar S. Urinary incontinence after vaginal delivery or cesarean section. N Engl J Med. 2003;348:900–7. doi:10.1056/NEJMoa021788.CrossRefPubMed

Lasserre A, Pelat C, Gueroult V, Hanslik T, Chartier-Kastler E, Blanchon T, et al. Urinary incontinence in French women: prevalence, risk factors, and impact on quality of life. Eur Urol. 2009;56:177–83. doi:10.1016/j.eururo.2009.04.006.CrossRefPubMed

Memon H, Handa VL. Pelvic floor disorders following vaginal or cesarean delivery. Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2012;24:349–54. doi:10.1097/GCO.0b013e328357628b.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Boyle R, Hay-Smith EJ, Cody JD, Morkved S. Pelvic floor muscle training for prevention and treatment of urinary and faecal incontinence in antenatal and postnatal women. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2012;10, Cd007471. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD007471.pub2.PubMed

Bo K, Hilde G. Does it work in the long term?—A systematic review on pelvic floor muscle training for female stress urinary incontinence. Neurourol Urodyn. 2013;32:215–23. doi:10.1002/nau.22292.CrossRefPubMed

Michie S, van Stralen MM, West R. The behaviour change wheel: a new method for characterising and designing behaviour change interventions. Implement Sci. 2011;6:42. doi:10.1186/1748-5908-6-42.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

Abraham C, Michie S. A taxonomy of behavior change techniques used in interventions. Health Psychol. 2008;27:379–87. doi:10.1037/0278-6133.27.3.379.CrossRefPubMed

10.

Cane J, O’Connor D, Michie S. Validation of the theoretical domains framework for use in behaviour change and implementation research. Implement Sci. 2012;7:37. doi:10.1186/1748-5908-7-37.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

11.

O’Neill AT, Hockey J, O’Brien P, Williams A, Morris TP, Khan T, et al. Knowledge of pelvic floor problems: a study of third trimester, primiparous women. Int Urogynecol J. 2017;28:125–9. doi:10.1007/s00192-016-3087-4.CrossRefPubMed

12.

Neels H, Wyndaele JJ, Tjalma WA, De Wachter S, Wyndaele M, Vermandel A. Knowledge of the pelvic floor in nulliparous women. J Phys Ther Sci. 2016;28:1524–33. doi:10.1589/jpts.28.1524.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

13.

Moossdorff-Steinhauser HF, Albers-Heitner P, Weemhoff M, Spaanderman ME, Nieman FH, Berghmans B. Factors influencing postpartum women’s willingness to participate in a preventive pelvic floor muscle training program: a web-based survey. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2015;195:182–7. doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2015.10.009.CrossRefPubMed

14.

Hutchinson M, Joyce A. Western Australia’s mothers and babies, 2011: twenty-ninth annual report of the Western Australian midwives’ notification. Department of Health WA: Western Australia; 2014.

15.

Australian Bureau of Statistics. Socio-Economic Indexes for Areas (SEIFA), 2011 Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia; 2013. http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/censushome.nsf/home/seifa. Accessed 19 December 2016.

16.

Portney LG, Watkins MP. Foundations of clinical research: applications to practice. 3rd ed. Philadephia: Davis; 2015.

17.

Peat J, Williams K, Wei X, Mellis C. Health science research: a handbook of quantitative methods. London: Sage; 2002.CrossRef

18.

SurveyMonkey Inc. Palo Alto, California, USA. 2016. www.surveymonkey.com. Accessed 19 December 2016.

19.

Creative research systems Sebastopol CA 2016. http://www.surveysystem.com/sscalc.htm. Accessed 19 December 2016.

20.

Sangsawang B. Risk factors for the development of stress urinary incontinence during pregnancy in primigravidae: a review of the literature. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol. 2014;178:27–34. doi:10.1016/j.ejogrb.2014.04.010.CrossRefPubMed

21.

Wilson J, Berlach RG, Hill A-M. An audit of antenatal education facilitated by physiotherapists in Western Australian public hospitals. Aust N Z Continence J. 2014;20(2):44–6.

22.

Whitford HM, Jones M. An exploration of the motivation of pregnant women to perform pelvic floor exercises using the revised theory of planned behaviour. Br J Health Psychol. 2011;16:761–78. doi:10.1111/j.2044-8287.2010.02013.x.CrossRefPubMed

23.

Ghaderi F, Oskouei AE. Physiotherapy for women with stress urinary incontinence: a review article. J Phys Ther Sci. 2014;26:1493–9. doi:10.1589/jpts.26.1493.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral

24.

Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2012. http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/censushome.nsf/home/CO-60. Accessed 19 December 2016.

Title: Pregnant women’s awareness, knowledge and beliefs about pelvic floor muscles: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Anne-Marie Hill
Steven M. McPhail
Judith M. Wilson
Richard G. Berlach
Publication date: 01-10-2017
Publisher: Springer London
Published in: International Urogynecology Journal / Issue 10/2017
Print ISSN: 0937-3462
Electronic ISSN: 1433-3023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-017-3309-4

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Pregnant women’s awareness, knowledge and beliefs about pelvic floor muscles: a cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

Methods

Results

Conclusion

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis

Methods

Results

Conclusion

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 10/2017

Surgeons’ views on sling tensioning during surgery for female stress urinary incontinence

The role of reconstructive surgery in patients with end-stage interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome: is cystectomy necessary?

Effect of pessary use on hydronephrosis in women with advanced pelvic organ prolapse: a self-selected interventional trial

Urogynecology digest

An intra- and interrater reliability and agreement study of vaginal resting pressure, pelvic floor muscle strength, and muscular endurance using a manometer

Two techniques for assessing postoperative voiding function, a randomized trial