The influence of the menstrual cup on female pelvic floor muscles variables: a prospective case series

Figures & data

Table 1. Sociodemographic characterics of the twelve study participants initially enrolled in the study.

Characteristics	Category	Resultant ± SD or percent
Age (years)	20–28 years (12)	24.33 ± 2.6
Race	White (9)	75 percent
	Brown (2)	16.7 percent
	Black (1)	8.3 percent
BMI	Eutrophic (10)	83.3 percent
	Overweight (1)	8.3 percent
	Obese (1)	8.3 percent
Marital status	Single (12)	100 percent
Profession	Student (6)	50 percent
	Other (6)	50 percent
Contraceptive method	Pill (6)	50 percent
	Vaginal ring (1)	8.3 percent
	None (5)	41.7 percent
Urinary tract infection	Occasionally (2)	16.7 percent
	No (10)	83.3 percent
Menarche age (years)	10–13 years (12)	11.67 ± 0.9
Constipation	Yes (3)	25 percent
	No (9)	75 percent
Sexual activity	Present (12)	100 percent

± SD – Mean and standard deviation; N (%) absolute number and relative frequency.

Table 2. Results of the variables taken from the PERFECT Scheme, PFM tone, Manometry and ICIQ-VS questionnaire (n = 10).

Variables	Participant 1	Participant 2	Participant 3	Participant 4	Participant 5	Participant 6	Participant 7	Participant 8	Participant 9	Participant 10
PERFECT
Power (assessment)	4	5	4	5	5	4	3	5	5	4
Power (reassessment)	5	5	5	5	5	4	4	5	5	4
Endurance (s) (assessment)	10	10	10	10	10	6	4	10	10	10
Endurance (s) (reassessment)	10	10	10	10	10	8	6	10	10	8
Repetition (assessment)	5	10	7	10	10	6	6	10	10	7
Repetition (reassessment)	10	10	10	10	10	8	7	10	10	10
Fast (assessment)	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10
Fast (reassessment)	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10	10
Manometry
VRP (cmH2O) (assessment)	22.7	20.8	22.9	21.5	22.0	22.9	29.9	21.6	21.5	21.8
VRP (cmH2O) (reassessment)	20.2	20.6	21.0	20.4	20.4	20.3	20.3	20.3	20.0	20.1
MVC (cmH2O) (assessment)	56.8	65.8	38.6	61.7	38.5	38.2	38.8	41.6	47.1	35.7
MVC (cmH2O) (reassessment)	59.7	64.6	41.6	63.8	70.5	45.8	35.8	50.1	70.4	37.1
PFM Tone
PFM Tone (assessment)	Hypertonic	Normotonic	Hypertonic	Normotonic	Hypertonic	Hypertonic	Hypertonic	Normotonic	Hypertonic	Normotonic
PFM Tone (reassessment)	Normotonic	Normotonic	Normotonic	Normotonic	Normotonic	Normotonic	Hypertonic	Normotonic	Normotonic	Normotonic
ICIQ-VS scores
Vaginal symptoms (assessment)	6	2	12	0	6	2	12	0	7	2
Vaginal symptoms (reassessment)	4	2	6	0	2	2	10	0	2	6
Sexual matters (assessment)	10	0	28	0	8	0	20	0	0	0
Sexual matters (reassessment)	0	0	0	0	1	0	12	0	0	0
Overall impact on QOL (assessment)	4	0	6	0	2	0	4	0	2	0
Overall impact on QOL (reassessment)	0	3	2	0	1	0	3	0	1	0
Diary of menstrual cup
Discomfort while using
First cycle	+	+	−	+	+	+	−	+	+	−
Every cycle	−	−	+	−	−	−	+	−	−	+
Discomfort to remove	+	+	+	−	−	−	+	+	+	−
Episodes of vaginal irritation	−	−	−	−	−	−	−	−	−	−
Episodes of leakages	−	−	−	−	−	−	−	−	+	−
Continue to use in the future	+	+	+	+	+	+	−	+	+	+
Physical activity	Gym	Pilates	None	Gym	Walking	Swimming	None	Walking	None	Gym

VRP: vaginal resting pressure; MVC: maximal voluntary contraction; PFM: pelvic floor muscles; ICIQ-VS: International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire – Vaginal Symptoms; QOL: quality-of-life, +: positive; −: negative.

Table 3. Assessment of the pelvic floor muscle strength of women using the PERFECT scheme, manometry, and ICIQ-VS scores before, and after three menstrual cycles using the menstrual cup (n = 10).

Variable	Assessment Median (IQI: 25–75)	Reassessment Median (IQI: 25–75)	p-Value	Effect Size	Power
PERFECT
Power	4.5 (4–5)	5 (4–5)	0.083	0.5	0.41
Endurance (s)	10 (9–10)	10 (8–10)	0.564	0.0	0.05
Repetition	8.5 (6–10)	10 (9.5–10)	0.042*	0.67	0.59
Fast	10 (10–10)	10 (10–10)	0	—	—
Manometry
VRP (cmH2O)	21.9 (21.5–22.9)	20.3 (20.1–20.4)	0.005*	1.77	0.99
MVC (cmH2O)	40.2 (38.4–58.0)	54.8 (40.5–66.0)	0.032*	0.64	0.57
ICIQ-VS (scores)
Vaginal symptoms	4 (1.5–8.25)	2 (1.5–6.0)	0.140	—	—
Sexual matters	0 (0–12.5)	0 (0–0.25)	0.068	—	—
Quality of life	1 (0–4)	0.5 (0–2.25)	0.167	—	—

Endurance (duration of sustained muscle contraction); Fast (number of rapid contraction repetitions); IQI, interquartile interval; Power (strength); Repetitions (number of sustained muscle contraction repetitions).