The effect of kegel exercise on reducing perineal pain in post-partum mothers: narrative review

Abstract

During childbirth, mothers can experience perineal lacerations. Perineal lacerations are ruptures that occur in the perineum during labor. Perineal lacerations can be classified based on the degree of laceration, namely degree I, degree II, degree III, and degree IV. The impact of perineal ruptures can cause pain in the perineum so that it can affect a woman's ability to exercise and cause complications such as postpartum hemorrhage. Postpartum pain can be managed by doing physical exercises, one of which is Kegel Exercise. Kegel Exercise can help postpartum healing by alternately contracting and relaxing the pelvic floor muscles, namely by making stitches tighter, accelerating healing, relieving hemorrhoids, and improving urinary control, which can improve circulation in the perineum, thereby accelerating healing and reducing swelling. The study is aimed to determine and analyze the effect of giving Kegel exercises on reducing pain in postpartum mothers. This study employed the Narrative Review method with the PICO framework (Population/Patients/Problem, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome) then to identify articles using databases (PubMed, Google Scholar, and ScienceDirect) with predetermined keywords referring to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. From the total article search, 168 articles were obtained. Then, article selection was carried out. 15 articles obtained stated that giving Kegel exercises reduced perineal pain in postpartum mothers. There is an effect of giving Kegel exercises on reducing perineal pain in postpartum mothers.