Interventions for Maintaining Pelvic Floor Health During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review

Pregnancy is a unique life stage for women and is also an independent risk factor for pelvic floor disorders (PFD). Physiological changes during pregnancy can weaken pelvic floor support, potentially leading to common pelvic floor dysfunctions such as urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, chronic pelvic pain, sexual dysfunction, rectus diastasis, and pelvic organ prolapse if left unaddressed. Early preventive interventions are recommended to reduce the overall incidence of PFD. This review aims to summarize various preventive health care strategies for pelvic floor health during pregnancy.

A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted, focusing on studies related to pelvic floor health care during pregnancy. Relevant articles were selected based on their contributions to understanding preventive measures and interventions aimed at maintaining pelvic floor health.

The research findings outline effective methods for pelvic floor health care during pregnancy, including health education, breathing exercises, pelvic floor muscle training, weight management, perineal massage, and holistic exercise programs. The literature search spanned six electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, and Weipu) with 60 studies meeting inclusion criteria. Given the profound impact of pelvic floor dysfunction on women's quality of life, these strategies can specifically alleviate pelvic floor strain during pregnancy, improve delivery outcomes, promote postpartum recovery, and reduce the risk of PFD, thereby playing a significant role in supporting the overall health of mothers.

Emphasizing early management of pelvic floor health is crucial for the recovery of pelvic floor tissues in pregnant women and should be widely implemented in clinical practice. Healthcare providers should consider each pregnant woman's individual health status, physical abilities, and maternal-fetal safety to develop personalized exercise plans, employing appropriate strategies for early intervention against the pelvic floor during pregnancy which may successfully prevent pelvic floor disorders in women.