Pregnant women and midwives experiences of PFMT - qualitative study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Pregnant women and midwives experiences of pelvic floor muscle training and the barriers to implementation of a pelvic floor exercise program: a qualitative study.
IRAS ID
359491
Contact name
Turlough Maguire
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Northern HSC Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 0 days
Research summary
Urinary incontinence and other bladder problems are very common during and after pregnancy, affecting up to three-quarters of women. These symptoms can cause embarrassment and have a major impact on daily life. Pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) during pregnancy is a proven way to prevent or reduce these problems. However, many women do not receive enough information or support to do these exercises correctly, and midwives often struggle to fit this training into busy appointments. There is currently limited understanding of the challenges and experiences faced by both women and midwives in delivering and using antenatal PFMT, especially in Northern Ireland.
This study aims to explore women’s and community midwives’ views and experiences of antenatal PFMT. It will identify what helps or stops women from doing these exercises and what helps or hinders midwives in promoting and teaching PFMT. The findings will help improve future services and training so that more women can benefit.
Around 25 antenatal and postnatal women and 25 community midwives will be invited to take part. Women must be over 18 and either in their third trimester or within six months after giving birth. Midwives must be currently working in Northern Health and Social Care Trust. Participants will be recruited through community midwifery teams and will be given clear written information and time to decide whether to take part.
Focus groups will be used to collect data, either in person or online. All participants will give informed written consent and will be free to withdraw at any time. Focus groups will be audio-recorded, transcribed anonymously, and analysed thematically. Strict confidentiality and data protection measures will be followed. The results will help inform better antenatal PFMT support and may lead to improved services for women’s pelvic health in the future.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/WM/0263
Date of REC Opinion
9 Apr 2026
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion