Evidence mapPaperPMID 41524790Full record

Trial reportArchives of gynecology and obstetrics2026

Objective evaluation of the acute effects of pelvic floor muscle training on vaginal dryness in postmenopausal women: a randomized controlled pilot study.

Hatice Gulsah Kurne, Nebahat Uzunay, Doruk Cevdi Katlan, Turkan Akbayrak

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in Archives of gynecology and obstetrics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

4 authors.

Hatice Gulsah KurneDivision of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Institute of Health Sciences, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey. kurne.gulsah@gmail.com.
Nebahat UzunayGynecology and Obstetrics, Istanbul Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Doruk Cevdi KatlanGynecology and Obstetrics, Istanbul Training and Research Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey.
Turkan AkbayrakDivision of Fundamental Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThis study aimed to investigate the acute effects of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) on vaginal dryness in postmenopausal women using an objective measurement method within the framework of a randomized controlled trial.

methodsThis randomized controlled pilot study included postmenopausal women who were allocated into two groups: a PFMT group (n = 45) and a control group (n = 58). The PFMT group performed a single set of exercises in the lithotomy position, consisting of 10 slow and 10 fast pelvic floor muscle contractions. The control group received no intervention. The primary outcome was vaginal dryness, assessed objectively using the Vaginal Lubrication Kit (VLK). Secondary outcomes included Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores for vaginal dryness, burning, and dyspareunia, as well as smear test results. Associations of baseline VLK and VAS scores with smear test findings were analyzed. Pre- and post-treatment differences, as well as between-group comparisons, were evaluated using parametric and non-parametric tests, with a 95% confidence interval.

resultsOf the 105 women randomized, 103 completed the study. Baseline characteristics did not differ significantly between groups (p > 0.05). Following the intervention, the PFMT group demonstrated statistically significant improvements in VLK scores (p < 0.05). Baseline VAS scores were statistically significantly negatively correlated with the initial VLK score (VAS vaginal dryness, VLK r: -0.571, VAS vaginal burning, VLK r: -0.451, VAS dyspareunia, VLK r: -0.460, p < 0.05). In addition, the presence of atrophy in the pre-treatment smear test was found to be statistically significantly negatively correlated with the initial VLK score (r: -0.346, p < 0.05).

conclusionsPFMT significantly reduced vaginal dryness in postmenopausal women compared with the control group. It may be considered a potential treatment option for vaginal dryness. The VLK appears to be a promising objective tool for both assessing vaginal dryness and monitoring treatment outcomes in postmenopausal women. Although these findings are promising, they should be interpreted with caution given the pilot design and the short follow-up. Larger randomized trials are needed to confirm the long-term efficacy of PFMT and to validate the VLK as an objective outcome measure.

Indexed as

Exercise TherapyPelvic FloorPostmenopauseVaginal DiseasesAgedDyspareuniaFemaleHumansMiddle AgedMuscle ContractionPilot ProjectsTreatment OutcomeVaginaPelvic floor exerciseVaginal atrophyVaginal lubrication kit

Identifiers

PMID41524790
PMCPMC12795868

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.