The
PERL Project team consists of experts in nursing, midwifery, medicine, and
bioengineering who care about safe, healthy, and satisfying birth. We
bring a wide range of specialized knowledge about childbirth and urinary
incontinence to the project. The PERL Project is supported by a grant from
the National Institutes of Health, National Institutes of Nursing Research Grant
# RO1 NRO4007-05
University of Michigan,
School of Nursing
400 North
Ingalls, Room 3220
Office of Nursing Research and Health Promotion
Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109
734-764-4544
e-mail:
umperl@umich.edu
Principal
Investigator: Carolyn M. Sampselle, PhD, RNC
Project Director: Janis Miller, PhD, RN
The research being performed
by the PERL Project is being done to learn about ways to keep the
pelvic floor structures strong and healthy during childbirth. The
pelvic floor muscles, which can be damaged during vaginal birth, support
the uterus and bladder. Weak pelvic floor muscles can cause
accidental urine loss (urinary incontinence). Three self care
practices; pelvic muscle training,
prenatal perineal massage, and spontaneous pushing
during birth, show promise in preventing birth-induced pelvic floor
injury. Our study will evaluate each of the three self-care
practices to determine its benefits to the pelvic floor. Hopefully
our results will change current practices in the delivery room and lead to
healthier pelvic floors after delivery and decreased urinary incontinence.
