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NCT07912918

the Effect of Exercise on Sexual Function and Quality of Life in Postpartum Women

Sponsor: Isfahan University of Medical Sciences

View on ClinicalTrials.gov

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if resistance exercise works to promote sexual health or quality of life in postpartum women. The main questions it aims to answer are: Can a set of physical exercises lead to an improvement in women's perception of their quality of life or their sexual function during the postpartum period? Researchers are comparing the effect of these exercises with routine postpartum care. Participants will: Mothers who are two months postpartum (following a vaginal delivery), provided they meet specific criteria-such as having a healthy infant and exclusive breastfeeding.

Official title: Investigating the Effect of Resistance Exercise on Sexual Function and Quality of Life in Postpartum Women

Key Details

Gender

FEMALE

Age Range

Any - Any

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Enrollment

Start Date

2025-01-19

Completion Date

2025-11-21

Last Updated

2026-11-03

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Conditions

Sexual Health Quality of Life Postpartum Women

Interventions

OTHER

Resistance Exercise

At the intervention centers, a suitable location was designated for instruction on how to perform the exercises during the first four weeks. To ensure privacy, participants received individual, face-to-face training from the researcher and practiced the exercise program once under the researcher's supervision during the first session. At the end of the fourth week of the intervention, participants received individual, face-to-face instruction on how to perform the exercises for the subsequent four weeks.The program consisted of three exercise sessions per week, with each session lasting 50 minutes. Each session included a general warm-up emphasizing the muscle groups involved in that session (5-10 minutes), six resistance exercises (35 minutes), and a cool-down period (5 minutes). The exercises remained the same over each two-week period; however, the number of sets and repetitions increased in the second week.

Inclusion Criteria: * Having a willingness to participate in the study * Iranian nationality and residence in Isfahan * Living with spouse and resuming sexual activity after childbirth * Primiparous (normal vaginal delivery) and a lapse of two months since delivery * Delivery at term (more than 37 weeks) and a healthy infant * Reading and writing literacy * Exclusive breastfeeding * Willingness to engage in physical exercise, the motor ability required to perform the exercises, and the absence of motor disabilities (It is examined in person by the researcher) * Normal Body Mass Index: BMI (19.8-26 kg/m²) * The mother is on maternity leave (returning to work-particularly in arduous or physically demanding jobs-could influence the study variables Exclusion Criteria: * History of underlying medical conditions (confirmed by a physician or documented in the electronic health record) * History of severe mental illness requiring hospitalization during pregnancy or the postpartum period * Disabilities and structural and mobility issues * Below-normal sexual function (scoring less than 28 on FSFI) * Active sore or lesion in the genital area (which was examined by the researcher if its presence was suspected) * Presence of uterine prolapse, cystocele, and grade 4 rectocele-conditions the patient complained of and which were confirmed by the researcher through visual inspection during the examination * Drug and alcohol use (recreational or chronic) * Use of medications affecting sexual function * Maintaining an active lifestyle or engaging in sports-whether professionally or regularly-during the preconception, pregnancy, or postpartum periods, such that it becomes part of their daily routine * Pregnancy-related changes that have not yet returned to the pre-pregnancy state, such as preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and gestational hypertension * If the mother suffered from severe joint pain that hindered her ability to perform daily activities, she was excluded from the study, in addition to being referred to the appropriate specialists for treatment and management of her condition * Difficult delivery (using vacuum and forceps) or third- or fourth-degree perineal tear

Locations (1)

Shahid Navab Safavi Comprehensive Health Service Center in Isfahan

Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran