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Article: Pelvic floor exercises during pregnancy can shorten labour
- Article from:
- Community Practitioner
- Article date:
- November 1, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCopyright TG Scott & Son Ltd. Nov 2004. Provided by ProQuest LLC. (Hide copyright information)
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Intensive training of the pelvic floor muscles during pregnancy could prevent a prolonged second stage of labour in one in eight women, a study has found.
Training the pelvic floor muscles during pregnancy can prevent urinary incontinence, and pregnant women are encouraged to do exercises for these muscles. But a myth prevails among birth attendants that strong pelvic floor muscles (for example, as a result of horse riding) may obstruct labour. However, training of the pelvic floor muscles may produce strong and well controlled muscles that will facilitate labour, but possible effects of pelvic floor muscle training on labour have been sparsely scientifically documented.
To examine a ...