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Contact the study team using the details below to take part. If there are no contact details below please ask your doctor in the first instance.

Contact Information:

Miss Rosie Harper
+44 (0)1202 969696
rharper1@bournemouth.ac.uk


Miss Rosie Harper
+44 (0)1202 969696
rharper1@bournemouth.ac.uk


Prof Carol Clark
+44 (0)1202 969696
cclark@bournemouth.ac.uk


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Be Part of Research - Trial Details - Pelvic (floor) Reminders (to) Explore Perinatal (women's) Acceptability (of) Reminders (to) Exercise (PREPARE) study
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Pelvic (floor) Reminders (to) Explore Perinatal (women's) Acceptability (of) Reminders (to) Exercise (PREPARE) study

Not Recruiting

Open to: Female

Age: Adult

Poole

Medical Conditions

Pelvic floor dysfunction

This information is provided directly by researchers, and we recognise that it isn't always easy to understand. We are working with researchers to improve the accessibility of this information. In some summaries, you may come across links to external websites. These websites will have more information to help you better understand the study.


Pelvic floor muscle dysfunction (PFMD) is a condition that affects up to one in three women at some point in their lifetime and can be commonly traced back to the perinatal period due to the physiological changes associated with pregnancy and childbirth. The most prevalent symptom of PFMD is stress urinary incontinence (SUI), defined as the involuntary loss of urine on effort or physical exertion (e.g., sporting activities), or on sneezing or coughing. The social, emotional, economic, and environmental impact of SUI is well documented and includes social isolation, difficulty returning to work, impaired sexual function and prevention of vigorous exercise.
Supervised pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is the gold standard of treatment for symptoms of SUI. Pelvic floor muscle training is defined as exercise to improve pelvic floor muscle strength, endurance, power, relaxation or a combination of these parameters. Women are less likely to develop urinary incontinence during pregnancy or in the early post-natal period if they regularly complete PFMT. PFMT involves women completing supervised PFMT three times a day for a minimum of three months for it to be effective at reducing symptoms of PFMD; however, clinically, it is recognised women do not regularly adhere to this exercise prescription.
Health apps commonly use reminders for long-term conditions to promote self-management and have been proven effective in other long-term conditions. The use of digital technology, such as mobile apps, in maternity care can personalise the treatment individual women receive thus improving healthcare delivery and in particular the management of PFMD. Personalisation of PFMT may be enhanced by providing digital ‘nudges’ as reminders and encouragement to enhance adherence to exercises.

Start dates may differ between countries and research sites. The research team are responsible for keeping the information up-to-date.  

The recruitment start and end dates are as follows:

23 Feb 2024 23 May 2024

The feasibility trial will determine whether a future randomised controlled trial can be conducted. The feasibility trial will compare an intervention and a control group. The intervention group will receive a PFMT mobile app and digital nudges. The control group will receive a leaflet on the role of the pelvic floor and how to complete PFMT developed by a UK-based professional network of clinical specialist physiotherapists. Perinatal women will have three telephone follow-ups lasting no longer than 30 minutes. The timing of these follow-ups will be at 9, 21 and 31 weeks. These follow-ups correspond to the late antenatal stage of gestation (36 weeks), around 1 month postnatal and 4 months postnatal.


Pelvic floor muscle dysfunction (PFMD) is a condition that affects up to one in three women at some point in their lifetime and can be commonly traced back to the perinatal period due to the physiological changes associated with pregnancy and childbirth. The most prevalent symptom of PFMD is stress urinary incontinence (SUI), defined as the involuntary loss of urine on effort or physical exertion (e.g., sporting activities), or on sneezing or coughing. The social, emotional, economic, and environmental impact of SUI is well documented and includes social isolation, difficulty returning to work, impaired sexual function and prevention of vigorous exercise.
Supervised pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) is the gold standard of treatment for symptoms of SUI. Pelvic floor muscle training is defined as exercise to improve pelvic floor muscle strength, endurance, power, relaxation or a combination of these parameters. Women are less likely to develop urinary incontinence during pregnancy or in the early post-natal period if they regularly complete PFMT. PFMT involves women completing supervised PFMT three times a day for a minimum of three months for it to be effective at reducing symptoms of PFMD; however, clinically, it is recognised women do not regularly adhere to this exercise prescription.
Health apps commonly use reminders for long-term conditions to promote self-management and have been proven effective in other long-term conditions. The use of digital technology, such as mobile apps, in maternity care can personalise the treatment individual women receive thus improving healthcare delivery and in particular the management of PFMD. Personalisation of PFMT may be enhanced by providing digital ‘nudges’ as reminders and encouragement to enhance adherence to exercises.

Who can participate?
Women between the ages of 18 and 45 years who have a viable pregnancy and have given birth once before

You can take part if:



You may not be able to take part if:


1. Under the age of 18 years2. Haematuria3. Difficulty passing urine or bladder emptying difficulties4. Present malignancy of the pelvic area5. A neurological disease that affects the urinary system6. Pyelonephritis7. Severe comorbidities in pregnancy (including placenta previa, threatened premature labour, pregnancy-induced hypertension)8. Hyperactivity of the pelvic floor9. Active urinary tract infection10. History of stroke, diabetes or gestational diabetes11. Use of another PFMT mobile app12. Cannot read or understand written English


Below are the locations for where you can take part in the trial. Please note that not all sites may be open.

  • University Hospitals Dorset NHS Foundation Trust
    Management Offices Poole Hospital Longfleet Road
    Poole
    BH15 2JB

The immediate advantage to participants is support with pelvic floor muscle training during pregnancy. Whilst the researchers do not anticipate any risks to participants there is a very small risk of emotional distress talking about pelvic floor-related symptoms. For those in the intervention group, there is a small but possible chance that participants find digital reminders a burden. There is a small but possible risk participants may find the statements in the digital nudges hard to understand. Participants randomised into a group they are not happy with may experience negative feelings.

Miss Rosie Harper
+44 (0)1202 969696
rharper1@bournemouth.ac.uk


Prof Carol Clark
+44 (0)1202 969696
cclark@bournemouth.ac.uk


Miss Rosie Harper
+44 (0)1202 969696
rharper1@bournemouth.ac.uk



The study is sponsored by Bournemouth University and funded by Bournemouth University; National Institute for Health and Care Research; University Hospitals Dorset.



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What will you do next?
Read full details for Trial ID: ISRCTN32494719

Or CPMS 58654

Last updated 09 April 2025

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