Mobile App-Based Self-Management of Urinary Incontinence in Pregnant Women: Multicenter Pragmatic Randomized...

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Digital Health
• Women's Health

Background:

• Urinary incontinence (UI) is prevalent in pregnancy, affecting well-being and quality of life.
• Mobile health (mHealth) apps offer innovative solutions for managing maternal UI.
• Large-scale trials are needed to validate the efficacy of mHealth apps for UI in pregnancy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a mobile app for self-managing UI in pregnant women.
• To assess the app's impact on UI symptom severity, quality of life, and self-efficacy in pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT).

Main Methods:

• A multicenter randomized controlled trial involving 295 pregnant women.
• Participants were assigned to a 12-week mobile app intervention or standard care.
• Outcomes measured included UI symptom severity, quality of life, and PFMT self-efficacy via electronic questionnaires.

Main Results:

• The app intervention significantly reduced UI symptom severity and improved quality of life postintervention and postpartum.
• No significant difference in PFMT self-efficacy was observed between groups.
• Subgroup analyses indicated intervention effectiveness varied by education level, prior PFMT, delivery history, and baseline UI severity.

Conclusions:

• Mobile app-based self-management significantly improved UI symptoms and quality of life in pregnant and postpartum women.
• The app demonstrates clinical relevance for personalized UI management, particularly for specific subgroups.
• Further research may explore enhancing PFMT self-efficacy through digital interventions.