Effects of Antenatal Pelvic Floor Preparation Techniques for Childbirth
NCT ID: NCT02582580
Last Updated: 2019-04-23
Study Results
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Basic Information
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COMPLETED
NA
63 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2015-10-15
2017-08-30
Brief Summary
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Detailed Description
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Participants: Primigravidae women over 18 years old will be selected, from the 32th gestational week and wishing to have a vaginal delivery.
Interventions: Pregnant women will be randomly allocated into three groups: perineal massage, vaginal dilator and pelvic floor muscles training. The technique should be practiced from the 34th week of pregnancy until the beginning of labor. Randomization will be done by a researcher who was not involved with the recruitment, assessment and treatment of the participants. All participants will undergo a clinical and functional assessment of the pelvic floor before the beginning of the technique practice, as well as a reassessment of these items and an assessment of perineal integrity between 45 and 60 days after delivery for a blind physiotherapist regarding the interventional procedures.
Objective: To compare the effects of perineal massage, vaginal dilator and pelvic floor muscles training on the perineal integrity of primiparae women.
Outcome: The perineal integrity will be verified by the presence or absence of perineal laceration as well as their characteristics observed immediately after delivery.
Randomization: Participants randomization will be done from a sequence generated by a computer program.
Blinding: The evaluative procedures will be done by a 'blinded' physiotherapist in relation to the intervention procedures and the randomization procedure by a researcher who was not involved with the recruitment, evaluation and participant's treatment.
Discussion: The knowledge of the effects of antenatal pelvic floor preparation techniques on the perineal integrity and pelvic floor muscles function after delivery, will allow a better choice about which approach is the best to pregnant women to prevent perineal trauma.
Conditions
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Study Design
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RANDOMIZED
PARALLEL
PREVENTION
SINGLE
Study Groups
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Perineal Massage
Massage is made in the perineum and vagina using your fingers to promote stretching of pelvic floor structures, making them more flexible and distensíveis, avoiding trauma during vaginal birth.
Perineal massage
Perineal massage should be practiced once a day, from the 34th week of gestation until the beginning of labor. It should obey the following sequence: the pregnant woman must be positioned comfortably and use intimate water based lubricant at her fingertips; start the massage in the outdoor area of the vulva with circular movements of the skin and connective tissue around the vagina and at the central tendon of the perineum, clockwise, clitoris to clitoris; introduce two thumb fingers or index and middle fingers into the vagina at a distance of approximately 4 centimeters; perform internal massaging with laterally semicircles towards the anus for 20 to 30 seconds; put pressure down towards the anus and to each side of the vagina until feeling a slight burning or stretching sensation and hold the position for 2 minutes; massage the lower half of the vaginal introitus in a movement simulating the letter "U". All movements should be repeated four times.
Vaginal Dilator
This device consists of a silicone balloon in an eight shape that, after inserted into the vagina, is inflated by manual pumping, promoting a stretching of the structures around it (hymenal edge, connective tissues and muscles perivaginal). This equipment assists the stretching of tissues around the vagina and the pelvic floor muscles, minimizing the risk of injury from the birth canal during the passage of the baby.
Vaginal Dilator
Vaginal dilator Epi-No® should be used once a day for 15 minutes, from the 34th week of pregnancy until the beginning of labor. It should be coated with a condom and intimate water based lubricant and then be inserted into the vaginal canal in such way that the balloon stays two centimeters away from the vaginal introitus. The device will be inflated by manual pumping until the tolerable woman's limit. The pregnant woman will be encouraged to daily inflate a greater volume of compressed air into the balloon so that the amount of air is greater than the quantity in the previous day, achieving, day after day, a greater stretching of perivaginal structures, always respecting the individual tolerance limit. The amount of manual pumping imposed to inflate the balloon should be written in an Intervention Diary so that the next use, the pregnant woman will be sure that pumped the device more times than in the previous session.
Pelvic floor muscles training
Exercises emphasizing conscious muscle relaxation, i.e., considering a resting time based on the contraction time. The resting time was double of the sustaining time of each contraction up to the 38th week of pregnancy, after remaining fixed this relaxation time up to the moment of delivery. This time was chosen because during the expulsive labor phase, there is a need for the pelvic floor muscles to consciously relax during a long period, in order to facilitate the descendants and rotational movements of the baby's head and consequently, its passage. This exercises does not aim only muscle strength but also contraction promotion, which aims body and perineal awareness, muscle tone, coordination and appropriate motor control to allow an active muscle relaxation in the second labor stage.
Pelvic floor muscles training
Pregnant women allocated to this group will perform pelvic floor muscles training. The progression of the protocol of this study will occur gradually in view of the peculiarities that involve the pelvic floor in the gestational stage and the ultimate goal is the promotion of an intact perineum after vaginal delivery. The exercises will obey a sequence, according to the gestation week, considering the following factors/parameters: exercise position, number and sustaining period of slow and fast contractions, and relaxation time between contractions. All contractions should be during the expiratory phase of breathing associated with an isometric contraction of the abdominal muscles and at the end of each series of contractions, perform a one minute interval between sets and in that time perform the diaphragmatic breathing exercise to promote overall relaxation. This protocol should be practiced once a day, every day from the 34th week of gestation until the beginning of labor.
Interventions
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Perineal massage
Perineal massage should be practiced once a day, from the 34th week of gestation until the beginning of labor. It should obey the following sequence: the pregnant woman must be positioned comfortably and use intimate water based lubricant at her fingertips; start the massage in the outdoor area of the vulva with circular movements of the skin and connective tissue around the vagina and at the central tendon of the perineum, clockwise, clitoris to clitoris; introduce two thumb fingers or index and middle fingers into the vagina at a distance of approximately 4 centimeters; perform internal massaging with laterally semicircles towards the anus for 20 to 30 seconds; put pressure down towards the anus and to each side of the vagina until feeling a slight burning or stretching sensation and hold the position for 2 minutes; massage the lower half of the vaginal introitus in a movement simulating the letter "U". All movements should be repeated four times.
Vaginal Dilator
Vaginal dilator Epi-No® should be used once a day for 15 minutes, from the 34th week of pregnancy until the beginning of labor. It should be coated with a condom and intimate water based lubricant and then be inserted into the vaginal canal in such way that the balloon stays two centimeters away from the vaginal introitus. The device will be inflated by manual pumping until the tolerable woman's limit. The pregnant woman will be encouraged to daily inflate a greater volume of compressed air into the balloon so that the amount of air is greater than the quantity in the previous day, achieving, day after day, a greater stretching of perivaginal structures, always respecting the individual tolerance limit. The amount of manual pumping imposed to inflate the balloon should be written in an Intervention Diary so that the next use, the pregnant woman will be sure that pumped the device more times than in the previous session.
Pelvic floor muscles training
Pregnant women allocated to this group will perform pelvic floor muscles training. The progression of the protocol of this study will occur gradually in view of the peculiarities that involve the pelvic floor in the gestational stage and the ultimate goal is the promotion of an intact perineum after vaginal delivery. The exercises will obey a sequence, according to the gestation week, considering the following factors/parameters: exercise position, number and sustaining period of slow and fast contractions, and relaxation time between contractions. All contractions should be during the expiratory phase of breathing associated with an isometric contraction of the abdominal muscles and at the end of each series of contractions, perform a one minute interval between sets and in that time perform the diaphragmatic breathing exercise to promote overall relaxation. This protocol should be practiced once a day, every day from the 34th week of gestation until the beginning of labor.
Other Intervention Names
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
* primigravidae women from the 32nd gestational week
* wishing to have a vaginal delivery
Exclusion Criteria
* presence of pelvic organ prolapse
* intolerance to vaginal palpation
* inability to contract the pelvic floor muscles
* vaginal infections
* neurological and/or cognitive impairments that prevent an understanding of the proposed procedures
* pregnant women who used antenatal pelvic floor methods of preparation prior to study enrollment
18 Years
FEMALE
No
Sponsors
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Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo
OTHER_GOV
Universidade Federal de Sao Carlos
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Priscila Godoy Januário Martins Alves
PhD student of the Postgraduate Program in Physical Therapy, Physical Therapy Department
Principal Investigators
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Priscila G Alves
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
Federal University of São Carlos - Physiotherapy Department
Locations
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Federal University of São Carlos - Physical therapy Department
São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil
Countries
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References
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Other Identifiers
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1.218.385
Identifier Type: OTHER
Identifier Source: secondary_id
FAPESP #2015/02244-0
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id
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