Original Articles
Early Access
https://doi.org/10.4081/ejtm.2025.14163
A proposed protocol for combining core stability and pelvic floor muscle training to prevent stress urinary incontinence in pregnant women: a preventive framework
Publisher's note
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
Received: 21 July 2025
Accepted: 1 August 2025
Published: 12 November 2025
Accepted: 1 August 2025
Published: 12 November 2025
561
Views
220
Downloads
Stress urinary incontinence is common during and after pregnancy and impacts women's health both physically and mentally. This protocol suggests a non-invasive preemptive training strategy which integrates pelvic floor muscle training and core stability exercises with nutrition counseling. This model provides a clear, systematic, evidence-based framework which can be incorporated into antenatal care arising from a literature and clinical guideline review. The objective is to equip healthcare professionals with tangible, multidisciplinary strategies for proactive urinary incontinence care during in pregnancy, this model underscores the importance of early, non-pharmacological interventions in preserving pelvic health and preventing postpartum dysfunction, offering a feasible and low-cost strategy to support the well-being of pregnant women.
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
1- Xu Z, He H, Yu B, et al. Application of transperineal pelvic floor ultrasound in changes of pelvic floor structure and function between pregnant and non-pregnant women. Int J Women's Health 2022;14:1149-59. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2147/IJWH.S361755
2- Skaug KL, Engh ME, Bø K. Pelvic floor muscle training in female functional fitness exercisers: an assessor-blinded randomised controlled trial. Br J Sports Med 2024;58:486-93. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2023-107365
3- Orhan C, Akbayrak T, Özgül S, et al. Effects of vaginal tampon training added to pelvic floor muscle training in women with stress urinary incontinence: randomized controlled trial. Int Urogynecol J 2019;30:219-29. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-018-3585-7
4- Soave I, Scarani S, Mallozzi M, et al. Pelvic floor muscle training for prevention and treatment of urinary incontinence during pregnancy and after childbirth and its effect on urinary system and supportive structures assessed by objective measurement techniques. Arch Gynecol Obstetr 2019;299:609-23. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-018-5036-6
5- Zhang L, Zhu L, Xu T, et al. A population-based survey of the prevalence, potential risk factors, and symptom-specific bother of lower urinary tract symptoms in adult Chinese women. Eur Urol 2015;68:97-112. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eururo.2014.12.012
6- Chong EC, Khan AA, Anger JT. The financial burden of stress urinary incontinence among women in the United States. Curr Urol Rep 2011;12:358-62. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11934-011-0209-x
7- Dudonienė V, Kirklytė I, Žlibinaitė L, et al. Pelvic floor muscle training versus functional magnetic stimulation for stress urinary incontinence in women: a randomized controlled trial. J Clin Med 2023;12:3157. DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm12093157
8- Casey EK, Temme K. Pelvic floor muscle function and urinary incontinence in the female athlete. Physician Sports Med 2017;45:399-407. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00913847.2017.1372677
9- Jia G, Jiang C, Wang K, et al. Epidemiological investigation of urinary incontinence in peri‐and postpartum women from Nanjing, China. LUTS 2021;13:481-9. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/luts.12399
10- Fuselier A, Hanberry J, Margaret Lovin J, Gomelsky A. Obesity and stress urinary incontinence: impact on pathophysiology and treatment. Curr Urol Reports 2018;19:10. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11934-018-0762-7
11- Perera J, Kirthinanda DS, Wijeratne S, Wickramarachchi TK. Descriptive cross sectional study on prevalence, perceptions, predisposing factors and health seeking behaviour of women with stress urinary incontinence. BMC Women's Health 2014;14:78. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6874-14-78
12- Coulombe BJ, Games KE, Neil ER, Eberman LE. Core stability exercise versus general exercise for chronic low back pain. J Athletic Training 2017;52:71-2. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-51.11.16
13- Alsakhawi RS, Elshafey MA. Effect of core stability exercises and treadmill training on balance in children with Down syndrome: randomized controlled trial. Adv Ther 2019;36:2364-73. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12325-019-01024-2
14- Yeganeh M, Baradaran HR, Qorbani M, et al. The effectiveness of acupuncture, acupressure and chiropractic interventions on treatment of chronic nonspecific low back pain in Iran: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Complement Ther Clin Pract 2017;27:11-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ctcp.2016.11.012
15- Stewart DM, Gregory DE. The use of intermittent trunk flexion to alleviate low back pain during prolonged standing. J Electromyography Kinesiol 2016;27:46-51. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2016.01.007
16- Sweeting J, Merom D, Astuti PA, et al. Physical activity interventions for adults who are visually impaired: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Open 2020;10:e034036. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2019-034036
17- Kankaanpää M, Colier WN, Taimela S, et al Back extensor muscle oxygenation and fatigability in healthy subjects and low back pain patients during dynamic back extension exertion. Pathophysiology 2005;12:267-73. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pathophys.2005.09.013
18- Wojcik M, Jarzabek-Bielecka G, Merks P, et al. The role of visceral therapy, Kegel’s muscle, core stability and diet in pelvic support disorders and urinary incontinence—including sexological aspects and the role of physiotherapy and osteopathy. Ginekologia Polska 2022;93:1018-27. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5603/GP.a2022.0136
19- Jorge CH, Bø K, Catai CC, et al. Pelvic floor muscle training as treatment for female sexual dysfunction: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Obstetr Gynecol 2024;231:51-66. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2024.01.001
20- Airaksinen O, Brox JI, Cedraschi C, et al. European guidelines for the management of chronic nonspecific low back pain. Eur Spine J 2006;15:s192. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-006-1072-1
21- Weir A, Darby J, Inklaar H, et al. Core stability: inter-and intraobserver reliability of 6 clinical tests. Clin J Sport Med 2010;20:34-8. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/JSM.0b013e3181cae924
How to Cite
A proposed protocol for combining core stability and pelvic floor muscle training to prevent stress urinary incontinence in pregnant women: a preventive framework. (2025). European Journal of Translational Myology. https://doi.org/10.4081/ejtm.2025.14163
Copyright (c) 2025 the Author(s)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
PAGEPress has chosen to apply the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0) to all manuscripts to be published.