Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31845393›Full record

ReviewNeurourology and urodynamics2020

Implementing pelvic floor muscle training in women's childbearing years: A critical interpretive synthesis of individual, professional, and service issues.

Victoria E Salmon, E J C Hay-Smith, Rachel Jarvie, Sarah Dean, Rohini Terry, Helena Frawley, Eivor Oborn, Susan E Bayliss, Debra Bick, Clare Davenport and 2 more

Open access · hybridAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Neurourology and urodynamics, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 28 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
28citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
5.2field-weighted citation impact, top 4% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

28 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 50 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  7. Female pelvic floor protection-Where do we have to go?Acta obstetricia et gynecologica Scandinavica · 2026
    Review
  8. Observational
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  10. Midwives' Perspective on Birth Preparedness and Complication Readiness Structure: A Qualitative Study.International journal of community based nursing and midwifery · 2026
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors at 6 institutions in 3 countries.

Victoria E SalmonCollege of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
E J C Hay-SmithDepartment of Women's and Children's Health, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Rachel JarvieCollege of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
Sarah DeanCollege of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
Rohini TerryCollege of Medicine and Health, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
Helena FrawleyDepartment of Physiotherapy, School of Primary and Allied Health Care, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-7126-6979
Eivor ObornWarwick Business School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
Susan E BaylissInstitute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Debra BickWarwick Clinical Trials Unit, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
Clare DavenportInstitute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Christine MacArthurInstitute of Applied Health Research, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
Mark PearsonWolfson Palliative Care Research Centre, Institute for Clinical & Applied Health Research, Hull York Medical School, University of Hull, Heslington, UK.ORCID 0000-0001-7628-7421
University of Exeter · GBUniversity of Birmingham · GBUniversity of Warwick · GBMonash Health · AUUniversity of Hull · GBUniversity of Otago · NZ

Funding

Department of Health RP-PG-0514-20002
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

aimsAntenatal pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) may be effective for the prevention and treatment of urinary and fecal incontinence both in pregnancy and postnatally, but it is not routinely implemented in practice despite guideline recommendations. This review synthesizes evidence that exposes challenges, opportunities, and concerns regarding the implementation of PFMT during the childbearing years, from the perspective of individuals, healthcare professionals (HCPs), and organizations.

methodsCritical interpretive synthesis of systematically identified primary quantitative or qualitative studies or research syntheses of women's and HCPs attitudes, beliefs, or experiences of implementing PFMT.

resultsFifty sources were included. These focused on experiences of postnatal urinary incontinence (UI) and perspectives of individual postnatal women, with limited evidence exploring the views of antenatal women and HCP or wider organizational and environmental issues. The concept of agency (people's ability to effect change through their interaction with other people, processes, and systems) provides an over-arching explanation of how PFMT can be implemented during childbearing years. This requires both individual and collective action of women, HCPs, maternity services and organizations, funders and policymakers.

conclusionNumerous factors constrain women's and HCPs capacity to implement PFMT. It is unrealistic to expect women and HCPs to implement PFMT without reforming policy and service delivery. The implementation of PFMT during pregnancy, as recommended by antenatal care and UI management guidelines, requires policymakers, organizations, HCPs, and women to value the prevention of incontinence throughout women's lives by using low-risk, low-cost, and proven strategies as part of women's reproductive health.

Indexed as

Pelvic FloorPhysical Therapy ModalitiesPrenatal CareAttitude of Health PersonnelAttitude to HealthDelivery of Health CareExercise TherapyFecal IncontinenceFemaleHealth PolicyHumansPractice Guidelines as TopicPregnancyPregnancy ComplicationsPuerperal DisordersQualitative Researchantenatal educationcritical interpretive synthesisimplementationmaternity servicespelvic floor muscle exercisepelvic floor muscle trainingurinary incontinence

Identifiers

PMID31845393
PMCPMC7079154
OpenAlexW2995917833

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.