THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PRENATAL PELVIC FLOOR MUSCLE EXERCISES AND BIOTECHNOLOGICAL APPROACHES IN PREVENTING PERINEAL TRAUMA IN PRIMIPAROUS WOMEN
Saidova Z.SH,
Samarkand State Medical University
Zakirova N.I
Samarkand State Medical University
Keywords: perineal trauma, primiparous women
Abstract
Perineal trauma, including spontaneous tears and episiotomies, affects 35–55% of primiparous women during vaginal delivery, leading to acute and chronic complications such as pain, incontinence, and reduced quality of life. In Uzbekistan, where primiparous births account for 62% of deliveries, high trauma rates (45%) reflect limited prenatal interventions. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) assessed the efficacy of prenatal pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFME), biotechnological approaches (Epi-No perineal massage device), and their combination in reducing perineal trauma among 200 primiparous women aged 18–35 across Tashkent, Andijan, Samarkand, and Bukhara maternity clinics from January 2023 to October 2024. Participants were randomized into four groups: PFME, biotechnology, combined intervention, and standard care (control). Primary outcomes were perineal tear rates (1st–4th degree) and episiotomy incidence. Secondary outcomes included labor duration, pain scores, postpartum continence, sexual function, quality of life, and intervention compliance at 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months post-delivery. The combined approach reduced severe tears by 40% (7% vs. 18% in controls, p<0.001) and episiotomies by 30% (15% vs. 42%, p<0.001). PFME alone lowered tears by 25%, and biotechnology reduced episiotomies by 20%. At 6 months, 90% of the combined group reported full continence versus 65% in controls. Compliance was highest in PFME (88%) and combined groups (85%). These results advocate integrating PFME and biotechnology into Uzbekistan’s maternity care, offering a cost-effective, scalable model for low- to middle-income countries (LMICs) to enhance maternal health outcomes globally.
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