Perception and awareness of the importance of pelvic floor muscle exercises across a woman’s life course

Pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFMEs) are beneficial to women throughout their life course. These include preventing or treating urinary and faecal incontinence, improving sexual satisfaction, and optimizing muscular force when performing physical activities. The aim of this study is to compare the perception and awareness of PFMEs by women at different stages of their life course. An experimental research design was used to provide a comparative analysis between age-related categories (i.e. menstruation, perimenopause, menopause and postmenopause). Data were collected through a questionnaire posted on social media. The results from 96 participants aged 18 years and over were then evaluated with a one-way analysis of variance. This found no statistical significance between the mean total scores on the awareness questions and the life-course categories [F(92, 3) = 2.53, P = 0.06]. There was a link between higher total scores on the awareness questions, and an increase in adherence to PFMEs. A key finding suggests that more education about PFMEs is needed for women across their life course. Policies and service specifications for women’s health have been improving in recent years. Future studies should investigate whether these advancements positively impact generational perception and awareness regarding the importance of incorporating PFMEs as a daily routine.