Effects of Swiss Ball Exercises With and Without Diaphragmatic Breathing on Stress Urinary Incontinence, Pelvic Floor Strength, and Quality of Life in Pregnant Women

What this Trial Is About

Stress urinary incontinence affects 30 to 60 percent of pregnant women, depending on factors like pregnancy trimester, number of previous births, and body weight. It causes involuntary urine leakage during activities such as coughing or exercising due to increased pressure inside the abdomen and weakened pelvic floor muscles. This condition is common but often underreported, and awareness and management remain limited. Strengthening pelvic floor muscles is important, and Swiss ball exercises offer a gentle way to improve core stability and muscle strength, potentially benefiting physical and mental health during pregnancy. This randomized controlled trial will involve pregnant women with stress urinary incontinence at two hospitals. A total of 42 participants will be randomly divided into two groups. Group A will complete a 6-week program with 12 sessions of Swiss ball exercises combined with diaphragmatic breathing. Group B will do the same Swiss ball exercises without diaphragmatic breathing. Both groups will also practice Kegel exercises as a baseline treatment. Exercises include wall squats, pelvic tilts, bridging with legs on the ball, and ball squeezes, done in sets with breathing techniques in the experimental group. Participants will attend sessions 3 to 4 times per week for about 20 to 25 minutes each. Researchers will assess stress urinary incontinence symptoms using questionnaires, measure pelvic floor muscle strength with standardized tools, and evaluate quality of life with validated questionnaires after 8 weeks. Data will be analyzed to compare outcomes between the two groups. The study aims to understand how combining diaphragmatic breathing with Swiss ball exercises impacts urinary symptoms, muscle strength, and quality of life during pregnancy.

Combined Effects of Swiss Ball Exercises and Diaphragmatic Breathing in Pregnant Females