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Choi, Park, Lee, and Oh: Effects of Intensive Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise on Recovery of Genitourinary System, Sexual Life and Daily Life after Normal Delivery
Original Article
Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing

Korean Journal of Women Health Nursing 2002; 8(3): 412-423.

Published online: 4 June 2013

DOI: https://doi.org/10.4069/kjwhn.2002.8.3.412

Effects of Intensive Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise on Recovery of Genitourinary System, Sexual Life and Daily Life after Normal Delivery

Euy Soon Choi*, Chai Soon Park*, In Sook Lee*, Jeong Ah Oh*

*College of Nursing, The Catholic University of Korea, Korea.

Received 25 July 2002       Accepted 5 September 2002

Copyright © 2002 Korean Academy of Women's Health Nursing

Abstract

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of pelvic floor muscle exercise using biofeedback and electrical stimulation after normal vaginal delivery. The data were collected from November 1999 to April 2000 at a university hospital located in Seoul, Korea.
Out of 49 women with normal vaginal delivery, 25 of experimental group(with exercise) and 24 of control group(without exercise) were questioned about lower urinary symptoms, discomfort during sexual intercourse and daily life. The maximum pressure of pelvic floor muscle contraction(MPPFMC) and duration of pelvic floor muscle contraction(DPFMC) were measured at pre-treatment, the end of treatment and 8 weeks after a treatment program.
The pelvic floor muscle exercise program(using biofeedback and electrical stimulation) was applied to the experimental group twice a week for 4 weeks at the incontinence clinic and the pelvic floor muscle exercise at home for that time and more 8 weeks.
Data were analyzed by t-test, χ2-test, Fisher's exact test and the repeated measures ANOVA.
The results were as follows;

  1. MPPFMC(p=0.000) and DPFMC(p=0.021) were significantly increased in the experimental group.

  2. In the lower urinary symptoms, daily frequency(p=0.001), nocturia(p=0.002), incontinence episode(p=0.016), stress incontinence(p=0.012), quantity of incontinence(p=0.026), straining(p=0.041), and strength of stream(p=0.009) were significantly decreased in the experimental group.

  3. Discomfort during sexual intercourse had not a significant difference between the two groups, which was not significantly decreased as time passed.

  4. In the discomfort during daily life, activity restriction(p=0.042), exercise restriction (p=0.008), interpersonal relationship restriction(p=0.046), and discomfort of general life(p=0.027) showed a significant difference between the two groups, which were not significantly decreased as time passed.

In conclusion, it is suggested that the pelvic floor muscle exercise using biofeedback and electrical stimulation might be a safer and more effective program for the improvement of postpartum pelvic muscle contraction.

Keywords: Pelvic floor muscle exercise, Postpartal recovery of genitourinary system, sexual life, Daily life

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