Authors

1 Cristina Plana Armengod, 2 Mª Susana Lafuente Pardos

Position

1 Matrona. Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet. Zaragoza (España)2 Matrona. Centro Salud La Jota. Zaragoza (España). Grado en Fisioterapia

Contact email: crisplana1997@gmail.com

Abstract

Introduction: urinary incontinence is a medical condition that can have major impact on the quality of life of the woman experiencing it. In our setting, more than half of multiparous women refer postpartum urine leakages, and incontinence symptoms appear in almost one third of women six months after childbirth. This reality justifies the offer of measures to these women in order to reduce this medical problem by conducting a pelvic training program for women who have recently given birth, directed by the Primary Care midwife, who is the healthcaere professional  most adequate for this action. 

Objective: to design a pelvic floor recovery program and the return to physical excercise for women who have recently given birth, designed by midwives and based on scientific evidence, and combining cardiovascular training, adapted toning, Kegel exercises, use of other devices and stretching. 

Method: a bibliographic search was conducted online in databases and browsers such as PubMed, Medline, Cochrane Library, Scielo, Virtual Library of the IACS (Aragon Health Sciences Institute) and Academic Google. The target population were women from the health area who had recently given birth, attended the postpartum unit and were willing to follow the program. The program of exercises was explained through online sessions to these women who had recently given birth, in order to have an adequate postpartum recovery. To this aim, an Informed Consent was sent by email to the patients, where they showed their agreement to participate.  

Results: those participants who had recently given birth expressed an improvement in the recovery of the pelvic floor muscular tone. An increase in strength parameters was observed, according to the Laycock Scale, and in resistance in examinations after completing the program.

Conclusions: physical exercise during the postpartum period provides an increase in physical and emotional wellbeing with wide benefits in terms of physical and psychological recovery. At the time of designing the program, it is important to include exercises with the baby, even to design excercises that can be done while carrying the baby. Working on the pelvic floor during the postpartum period will help gestures of protection of the pelvic floor to become mechanic, thus contributing to a higher physical wellbeing in subsequent stages of life. 

Versión en Español

Título:

Programa de recuperación del suelo pélvico y ejercicio físico en el puerperio

Bibliography