POSH-Ex: Physiotherapist-Led Telerehabilitation Exercise Programme for Postpartum Sexual Health

Starting soon · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Postpartum Sexual Dysfunction, Postpartum Depression, Fatigue, Physical Activity

In brief

Postpartum women frequently experience impairments in sexual function, pelvic floor dysfunction, fatigue, and depressive symptoms, all of which may adversely affect their quality of life during the postpartum period. Although pelvic floor muscle training is recommended as part of postpartum rehabilitation, evidence regarding comprehensive physiotherapist-led exercise programmes specifically targeting postpartum sexual health remains limited. Furthermore, no standardized telerehabilitation programme has yet been evaluated using a randomized controlled trial design. The aim of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of the POSH-Ex (Postpartum Sexual Health Exercise) programme, a standardized 12-week physiotherapist-led telerehabilitation intervention designed to improve female sexual function and overall postpartum health after childbirth. Secondary objectives are to evaluate its effects on pelvic floor muscle strength, physical activity, fatigue, depressive symptoms, health-related quality of life, and body composition. A total of 84 postpartum women will be randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either the intervention group or the control group. Participants in the intervention group will complete supervised online exercise sessions twice weekly for 12 weeks, while participants in the control group will receive usual postpartum care. Outcome assessments will be performed at baseline and immediately after completion of the intervention. The primary outcome is female sexual function assessed using the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Secondary outcomes include pelvic floor muscle strength, physical activity, fatigue, depressive symptoms, health-related quality of life, and body composition. The findings are expected to provide high-quality evidence regarding the effectiveness of a standardized telerehabilitation programme for postpartum rehabilitation and may contribute to the development of evidence-based postpartum rehabilitation programmes and future clinical practice guidelines.

Key facts

Study ID: NCT07747285
Run by: University Medical Centre Ljubljana
People needed: 84
Starts: 2026-09-01
Expected to finish: 2027-09-30
Last updated by the study team: 2026-08-05

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 45. Sex: female. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

Women aged 18 to 45 years.
Between 10 and 12 weeks postpartum at the time of enrolment.
Singleton live birth.
Ability to understand and communicate in the Croatian language.
Ability to participate safely in moderate-intensity exercise.
Access to a computer, tablet, or smartphone with a stable internet connection for participation in online exercise sessions.
Willingness to comply with the study protocol and attend supervised exercise sessions.
Provision of written informed consent.

You may not qualify if…

• Medical contraindications to exercise according to current clinical recommendations.
Pregnancy during the study period.
Severe musculoskeletal, neurological, cardiovascular, or other medical conditions preventing safe participation in exercise.
Current participation in another structured postpartum rehabilitation or exercise programme.
Severe psychiatric disorder requiring immediate specialist treatment.
Positive response to Item 10 of the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale indicating current thoughts of self-harm. Such participants will be referred for appropriate clinical assessment before potential study participation.
Inability to complete study questionnaires or follow study procedures.

Where it is running

Health Centers of Croatia — Varaždin, Croatia

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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