V1 PREPARE study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Pelvic (floor) Reminders (to) Explore Perinatal (women's) Acceptability (of) Reminders (to) Exercise (PREPARE)
IRAS ID
328225
Contact name
Rosie Harper
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Bournemouth Univeristy
ISRCTN Number
ISRCTN32494719
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 31 days
Research summary
Pelvic floor muscle dysfunction is a public health issue. One in three women are affected at some point in their lifetime. Pelvic floor muscle dysfunction causes symptoms of urinary leakage. These symptoms significantly affect a person’s quality of life. However, these symptoms can be prevented and treated. Pelvic floor muscle training (contraction and relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles) is the gold standard method of the prevention and treatment for urine leakage.
Pelvic floor training must be completed regularly for it to be effective. This involves knowing where the muscles are and feeling confident about being able to contract them and practicing the exercises regularly. Women often forget to complete these exercises regularly. Therefore behaviour change is required to help women prioritise pelvic floor muscle training. Behaviour change techniques are used by clinicians to support women to carry out pelvic floor muscle training.‘Nudges’ are a behaviour change technique that have been shown to improve a person’s engagement in physical activity. Digital ‘nudges’ to improve physical activity in people with other long-term conditions has suggested to be effective. However it is not clear if digital ‘nudges’ might influence a women’s ability to carry out their pelvic floor muscle training more regularly.
The primary aim of the feasibility study is to determine the feasibility of conducting a future randomised controlled trial to explore whether digital pelvic floor muscle training ‘nudges’ remind women to do their exercises. All women attending antenatal appointments will be invited to attend a face-to-face clinical appointment with a specialist physiotherapist. The women will be randomised into two groups one will receive the information with a leaflet (usual care) and the other will receive information and ‘nudges’ alongside an app. Both groups will be taught the exercises and have three follow up telephone follow-up at approximately 36 weeks of pregnancy, at one month post-natal and at four months post-natally.REC name
South Central - Hampshire B Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/SC/0407
Date of REC Opinion
19 Dec 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion