<![CDATA[Background: The postpartum period is a phase of physiological recovery after childbirth that is often accompanied by various health problems, including perineal wounds, postpartum pain, pelvic floor muscle weakness, urinary incontinence, and sexual dysfunction. One of the non-pharmacological interventions that may support maternal recovery during the postpartum period is Kegel exercise. Purpose: To identify the role of Kegel exercise in the physiological recovery of postpartum mothers based on published research findings. Method: This literature review employed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method. The article search strategy was developed using the PICOS framework, consisting of P (problem, patient, or population), I (intervention, prognostic factor, or exposure), C (comparison or control), O (outcome), and S (study). Literature searches were conducted through Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect databases using the keywords “Kegel exercise” AND “postpartum” AND “pelvic floor muscle training” AND “perineal wound healing” AND “urinary incontinence” AND “postpartum recovery”. A total of 1,502 articles were identified, followed by a screening process based on the study topic and inclusion criteria, resulting in 10 articles selected for analysis in this review. Results: The findings of the literature review demonstrated that Kegel exercise was effective in accelerating perineal wound healing, improving pelvic floor muscle strength, reducing postpartum pain, decreasing urinary incontinence, and enhancing sexual function and quality of life among postpartum women. Conclusion: Kegel exercise works by improving blood circulation and strengthening the pelvic floor muscles after childbirth. Therefore, Kegel exercise can be considered an effective, safe, and easy-to-perform non-pharmacological intervention to support the physiological recovery of postpartum mothers. Suggestion: Future researchers are advised to conduct studies with more robust designs and larger sample sizes to obtain more comprehensive evidence regarding the effectiveness of Kegel exercises for postpartum maternal health. Keywords: Kegel Exercise; Physiological Recovery; Postpartum.]]>
