Promoting Effective Recovery From Labor Urinary Incontinence (PERL) — PERL  

Urinary Incontinence Clinical Trial

Official title: Promoting Effective Recovery From Labor Urinary Incontinence: Prevention Reducing Birthing Risk

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether pushing during labor that is controlled by the woman results in less birth-related injury and less postpartum urinary incontinence (UI).

Clinical Trial Description

Birth related urinary incontinence (UI) is a predictor of UI in older women. Ways to protect the continence mechanism during delivery may diminish a woman's risk of UI later in life. We propose to study the functional anatomy of the pelvic floor as it relates to UI in women who are having their first baby. We hypothesize non-directed, spontaneous pushing is a protective strategy in decreasing the risk of immediate and long term UI. Longitudinal comparisons of pelvic floor characteristics will be taken at 35 week gestation and 6 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months postpartum. Study participants will be seen first at 20 weeks gestation for documentation of baseline levels of pelvic floor function, specifically voluntary and involuntary muscle strength, urinary continence status, and urethral support. They will be randomly assigned into non-directed, spontaneous (experimental) and directed, sustained pushing (control) groups. Alterations that may occur in urethral support before and after birth will be described through non-invasive urethral ultrasound. ;

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Factorial Assignment, Masking: Single Blind, Primary Purpose: Prevention

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Lacerations
• Pelvic Organ Prolapse
• Perinatal Laceration
• Second Stage Labor
• Urinary Incontinence

• NCT number: NCT00506116
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: University of Michigan
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 3
• Start date: July 1996
• Completion date: December 2006