SUI: Pelvic floor exercises or pessaries?

In women with Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI) symptoms, pelvic floor exercises increased the proportion of women with improvement (74% versus 11%) and patient satisfaction (71% versus 13%) compared to control over 1-6 months. By comparison, and based on one small, 2-week study, pessaries may reduce incontinence episodes compared to no treatment. Exercise may be slightly better than pessary at three months (example: more patients without bothersome symptoms) with less vaginal discharge at 12 months.¹