The APPEAL programme, supported by ARC South West (previously PenARC), has been highlighted in the newly published Women’s Health Strategy for England as an example of good practice in improving women’s health. The renewed Women’s Health Strategy sets out how the government will improve women’s health and healthcare over the next 10 years.
APPEAL (Antenatal Preventative Pelvic Floor Exercises and Localisation) is an evidence-based training programme that equips midwives to teach pelvic floor muscle exercises during pregnancy. The aim is to reduce the risk of urinary incontinence after birth, a condition affecting around one in three women.
Developed through collaboration between researchers, midwives and women, the programme addresses a longstanding gap in antenatal care by ensuring that pelvic floor exercises are taught effectively and consistently.
The training uses a “train the trainer” model and has already been delivered across multiple NHS trusts, supporting widespread implementation and building confidence among maternity staff.
Recognition in the national strategy reinforces the importance of prevention and early intervention in women’s health, and highlights how research-led innovations like APPEAL can be successfully embedded into routine care.
The APPEAL team continues to work with partners to support further rollout and implementation across England. They have rolled out multiple resources to support on this, including a 3-part series on the ARC South West YouTube page. The series features midwife Leann answering commonly asked questions about the pelvic floor, including What is my pelvic floor? Do lots of people leak? And how soon in pregnancy should I start [exercises]? The videos also cover how to find, squeeze and lift your pelvic floor muscles and invites pregnant mother Emma to practice pelvic floor muscles with Leann. It’s an easy guide for women to follow along at home and with their midwife during antenatal appointments.
Previously, Professor Sarah Dean, ARC South West’s Lead for APPEAL, reflected:
“The collaborative work to produce these videos has been amazing. Meeting the WILD parents group and hearing their feedback really made a difference in terms of producing resources that will be easy for all women to follow. Working together with the University of Exeter’s researchers and with the Health Innovation South West team we have co-produced three excellent videos. We are now in a great position to support the on-going implementation of APPEAL research into healthcare for all women who are pregnant.”