Knowledge and Practice of Pelvic Floor Muscle Exercise in Pregnant Women in the Third Trimester

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine the knowledge and practice of pelvic floor exercises in pregnant women in the third trimester. Materials and Methods: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2023 and March 2024 with 378 pregnant women in the obstetrics and gynaecology outpatient clinics of a Health Practice and Research Hospital in Türkiye. The data were collected with a data collection form prepared by the researchers in line with the literature. The data were analysed with descriptive statistical methods. Comparisons between groups were analysed by chi-square test and Fisher's Exact test. Frequency, percentage, median (maximum-minimum), mean and standard deviation values were used to summarise the results. Results: The mean age of the pregnant women in the third trimester was 28.33±5.50 years, 40.7% of them were primary/secondary school graduates, and 84.7% were not working. The mean gestational weeks were 30.71±5.36, and 29.9% were primigravida. In the study, the pregnant women stated that 28% of them involuntarily passed urine and 24.1% involuntarily passed gas. It was found that 19.8% of the pregnant women had information about pelvic floor muscle exercises and 5.3% of those who had information described the exercise correctly. It was found that only 9% of the pregnant women had practiced pelvic floor muscle exercises at any time in their lives, and 4.8% have been practicing pelvic floor muscle exercises. Conclusion: As a result of the study, it was observed that pregnant women had inadequate knowledge about pelvic floor muscle exercise and did not perform pelvic floor muscle exercise despite experiencing incontinence. It is important for pregnant women to have the correct knowledge and practice of pelvic floor muscle exercises to maintain pelvic floor health. To improve pelvic floor function during pregnancy, women should be made aware of these exercises and their skills should be developed before pregnancy and at an early age. In this context, it is important to plan and ensure the continuity of pelvic floor exercise training for young women at the beginning of their childbearing years.

Keywords

• pregnancy
• pelvic floor
• exercise
• nursing

Üçüncü Trimesterdeki Gebelerin Pelvik Taban Kas Egzersizi Bilme ve Uygulama Durumları

Abstract

Amaç: Bu araştırmanın amacı üçüncü trimesterdeki gebelerin pelvik taban egzersizlerini bilme ve uygulama durumlarını belirlemektir. Gereç ve Yöntem: Tanımlayıcı ve kesitsel tipte olan bu araştırma, Aralık 2023-Mart 2024 tarihleri arasında Türkiye’de bulunan bir Sağlık Uygulama ve Araştırma Hastanesi’nin kadın hastalıkları ve doğum polikliniklerinde, 378 gebe ile yürütülmüştür. Veriler araştırmacılar tarafından literatür doğrultusunda hazırlanan veri toplama formu ile toplanmıştır. Veriler, tanımlayıcı istatistik yöntemleri ile analiz edilmiştir. Gruplar arası karşılaştırmalar ki-kare testi ve Fisher Exact testi ile analiz edilmiştir. Sonuçların özetlenmesinde frekans, yüzde, medyan (maksimum-minimum), ortalama ve standart sapma değerleri kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Üçüncü trimesterde olan gebelerin yaş ortalamasının 28.33±5.50 olduğu, %40.7’sinin ilkokul/ortaokul mezunu olduğu ve %84.7’sinin çalışmadığı belirlenmiştir. Gebelik hafta ortalamalarının 30.71±5.36 olduğu ve %29.9’unun primigravida olduğu bulunmuştur. Araştırmada gebelerin %28’i istemsiz olarak idrar ve %24.1’i istemsiz olarak gaz kaçırdığını ifade etmiştir. Gebelerin %19.8’inin pelvik taban kas egzersizleri hakkında bilgisi olduğu, bilgisi olanların %5.3’ünün egzersizin yapılışını doğru olarak tanımladığı saptamıştır. Gebelerin yalnızca %9’unun hayatının herhangi bir döneminde ve %4.8’inin halen pelvik taban kas egzersizini uyguladığı bulunmuştur. Sonuç: Çalışma sonucunda gebelerin pelvik taban kas egzersizi hakkında bilgilerinin yetersiz olduğu ve inkontinans yaşamalarına rağmen pelvik taban kas egzersizi uygulamadıkları görülmektedir. Gebelerin pelvik taban sağlığını korumak pelvik taban kas egzersizlerine ilişkin doğru bilgi ve uygulamalara sahip olmaları büyük önem taşımaktadır. Gebelik döneminde pelvik taban fonksiyonlarını iyileştirmek için, kadınların gebelikten önce ve erken yaşlarda bu egzersizlere ilişkin farkındalıkları artırılmalı ve becerileri geliştirilmelidir. Bu bağlamda doğurganlık çağının başlarında genç kadınları hedef alan pelvik taban kas egzersizine ilişkin eğitimlerin planlanması ve sürekliliğinin sağlanması önemli bir ihtiyaçtır.

Keywords

• gebelik
• pelvik taban
• egzersiz
• hemşirelik

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