Pelvic Floor Muscle Training During Pregnancy

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN DENMARK · Jul 28, 2025

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is looking at whether doing pelvic floor muscle training (exercises that strengthen the muscles around the bladder, bowel, and uterus) during early pregnancy can help prevent or reduce problems like leaking urine, difficulty controlling bowel movements, pelvic organ prolapse (when pelvic organs drop from their normal position), and sexual difficulties. The study is not yet open for participants but will include women who are in their first trimester of pregnancy (up to about 13 weeks) and who have not had a previous pregnancy lasting more than 16 weeks.

To take part, women need to be able to understand and use either Danish or English, have access to a smartphone or computer to follow the training program, and be generally healthy without severe mental health issues or difficult social situations. Participants will be guided through a pelvic floor muscle training program during their pregnancy using digital tools. This trial aims to find out if these exercises can improve pelvic health outcomes for pregnant women, helping them avoid common pregnancy-related issues.

Gender

FEMALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Woman in the 1st trimester of pregnancy (up to 12+6 weeks of gestation)
• • Para 0 (no previous birth or pregnancy \> 16 weeks of gestation)
• • Understands, writes, and reads fluently in Danish or English
• • Has a smart phone or computer/tablet to reach the training program
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Severe psychiatric illness (e.g. schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, severe depression or anxiety)
• • Active substance abuse
• • Acute social crises (e.g. homelessness, ongoing domestic violence, severe financial instability, lack of social support)
• • Women with limited capacity to provide informed consent (due to cognitive impairment or language barriers)
• • Previous pregnancy of \> 16 weeks of gestation