Objective: To evaluate the combined effect of pelvic floor muscle exercise and mindfulness on sexual function in women with multiple sclerosis. Design: It was a three-arm parallel randomized clinical trial study. Setting: Outpatient clinic. Subjects: Patients with multiple sclerosis. Interventions: Participants in the intervention groups completed an eight-week program consisting of pelvic floor muscle exercise, mindfulness, and pelvic floor muscle exercise along with mindfulness. Main measures: The main measure was the Female Sexual Function Index. Results: In total, 70 patients completed the study. The results showed that the total mean scores of the participants’ sexual function in pelvic floor muscle exercise group before interventions (i.e. baseline), 8 weeks after the baseline, and 12 weeks after the baseline were 18.8 ± 6.3, 23.7 ± 5.1, and 22.3 ± 4.7, respectively, while total mean scores obtained for the sexual function of mindfulness group were 19.5 ± 6.4, 26.9 ± 4.8, and 25.6 ± 4.5, respectively. Moreover, mean scores obtained for pelvic floor muscle exercise along with mindfulness were 19.6 ± 5.9, 25.3 ± 5.4, and 25 ± 4.8, respectively. There was no significant difference in their effects on sexual function ( P > 0.05). Conclusion: Mindfulness and pelvic floor muscle exercise do not have any significant impact upon sexual dysfunction of people with multiple sclerosis.
Evaluation of the effect of an antenatal pelvic floor muscle exercise programme on female sexual function during pregnancy and the first 3 months following birth: study protocol for a pragmatic randomised controlled trial
