Utilization of a mobile application as an adjunct tool for the management of urinary incontinence in pregnant women
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55892/jrg.v8i19.2345Keywords:
pregnancy, urinary incontinence, mHealth application, pelvic floor physiotherapy, treatmentAbstract
Urinary incontinence is defined as any involuntary loss of urine and is commonly classified into three main types: stress urinary incontinence, urge urinary incontinence, and mixed urinary incontinence. This condition is prevalent among women, particularly during pregnancy, due to factors such as increased intra-abdominal pressure, fetal compression on the pelvic floor musculature, and neuromuscular injuries associated with vaginal delivery. With the advancement of technology, mobile health (mHealth) applications have emerged as supportive tools for pregnant women, providing features such as Pelvic Floor Muscle Training. These digital resources aim to promote self-management and improve adherence to conservative therapeutic strategies. The objective of this study was to conduct a literature review to identify mobile applications available for the management of urinary incontinence in pregnant women. The search was performed in the PubMed, LILACS, Cochrane Library, and SciELO databases, covering publications from 2014 to 2024. Eligible studies included original research articles, clinical trials, cross-sectional studies, and feasibility studies. Out of 434 articles initially retrieved, only six met the inclusion criteria after the screening and eligibility assessment. Data were analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively, focusing on variables such as type of application, intervention duration, and methodological design. The findings highlight the promising role of mHealth technologies as innovative and accessible tools to support the treatment of urinary incontinence in pregnant women.
Downloads
References
ASKLUND, I.; NYSTRÖM, E.; SJÖSTRÖM, M.; UMEFJORD, G.; STENLUND, H.; SAMUELSSON, E. Mobile app for treatment of stress urinary incontinence: A randomized controlled trial. Neurourology and Urodynamics, v. 36, n. 5, p. 1369-1376, 2017.
CHEN, L.; ZHANG, D.; LI, T.; LIU, S.; HUA, J.; CAI, W. Effect of a mobile app-based urinary incontinence self-management intervention among pregnant women in China: pragmatic randomized controlled trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, v. 25, 2023.
JAFFAR, A.; MOHD-SIDIK, S.; FOO, C. N.; ADMODISASTRO, N.; ABDUL SALAM, S. N.; ISMAIL, N. D. Improving pelvic floor muscle training adherence among pregnant women: validation study. JMIR Human Factors, v. 9, n. 1, e30989, 2022a.
JAFFAR, A.; MOHD SIDIK, S.; FOO, C. N.; MUHAMMAD, N. A.; ABDUL MANAF, R.; SUHAILI, N. Preliminary effectiveness of mHealth app-based pelvic floor muscle training among pregnant women to improve their exercise adherence: a pilot randomised control trial. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, v. 19, n. 4, p. 2332, 2022b.
JAFFAR, A.; MUHAMMAD, N. A.; MOHD SIDIK, S.; ADMODISASTRO, N.; ABDUL MANAF, R.; FOO, C. N.; SUHAILI, N. Feasibility and usability of Kegel Exercise Pregnancy Training App (KEPT App) among pregnant women with urinary incontinence. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, v. 19, n. 6, p. 3574, 2022c.
HAYLEN, B. T.; DE RIDDER, D.; FREEMAN, R. M.; SWIFT, S. E.; BERGHMANS, B.; LEE, J.; MONGA, A.; PETRI, E.; RIZK, D. E.; SAND, P. K.; SCHAER, G. N. An International Urogynecological Association (IUGA)/International Continence Society (ICS) joint report on the terminology for female pelvic floor dysfunction. International Urogynecology Journal, v. 21, n. 1, p. 5–26, 2010.
LI, T.; CHEN, X.; WANG, J.; CHEN, L.; CAI, W. Mobile app-based intervention for pregnant women with stress urinary incontinence: protocol for a hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial. JMIR Research Protocols, v. 10, n. 3, e22771, 2021.
LÖJDAHL, E.; LINDAM, A.; ASKLUND, I. App-based pelvic floor muscle training in pregnant and postnatal women: A prospective cohort study exploring factors associated with prevention and improvement of urinary incontinence. Health Science Reports, v. 5, n. 5, e781, 2022.
YANG, X.; ZHANG, A.; SAYER, L.; BASSETT, S.; WOODWARD, S. The effectiveness of group-based pelvic floor muscle training in preventing and treating urinary incontinence for antenatal and postnatal women: a systematic review. International Urogynecology Journal, v. 33, n. 6, p. 1407–1420, 2022.
WANG, X.; XU, X.; LUO, J.; CHEN, Z.; FENG, S. Effect of app-based audio guidance pelvic floor muscle training on treatment of stress urinary incontinence in primiparas: a randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Nursing Studies, v. 104, p. 103527, abr. 2020.
WOODLEY, S. J.; LAWRENSON, P.; BOYLE, R.; CODY, J. D.; MØRKVED, S.; KERNOHAN, A.; HAY-SMITH, E. J. C. Pelvic floor muscle training for preventing and treating urinary and faecal incontinence in antenatal and postnatal women. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, v. 5, p. CD007471, 2020.
