Urinary incontinence after uncomplicated spontaneous vaginal birth in primiparous women during the first year after birth

Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis Urinary incontinence (UI) is associated with pregnancy and parity and can cause health problems for women. Our objective was to explore risk factors for UI and its effect on women's daily activities, psychological health and wellbeing 9-12 months postpartum in a low-risk primiparous population. Methods In this prospective cohort study, first-time mothers in a low-risk population with a spontaneous vaginal birth reported the occurrence of UI and its effect on daily activities and on their psychological health and wellbeing in a questionnaire completed 1 year after birth. Descriptive and comparative statistics were employed for the analysis. Results A total of 410 women (75.7%) completed the questionnaire. The self-reported rates of stress urinary incontinence, urge urinary incontinence and mixed urinary incontinence were 45.4%, 38.0% and 27.0% respectively. Neither the duration of the second stage of labour, the baby's head circumference or its birth weight were associated with the incidence of UI. There was an association between reported negative impact on daily activities and more negative psychological wellbeing (p < 0.001). Conclusions Urinary incontinence was common among primiparous women at 9-12 months postpartum. Women whose symptoms had a negative impact on their daily activities reported more psychological suffering. KeywordsUrinary incontinence . Postpartum . Primiparous . Vaginal . Birth Abbreviations UI Urinary incontinence SUI Stress urinary incontinence UUI Urge urinary incontinence MUI Mixed urinary incontinence

Bladder Base Displacement during Abdominal Muscles Contraction and Functional Activities in Primiparous Women Assessed by Transabdominal Ultrasound: A Descriptive Study

“…The absence of anticipatory contraction of the PFM during coughing together with the observed bladder descent may be related to the high prevalence of PFD symptoms (74%) in this population of primiparous women, with UI (46.9%) being the most frequent. The prevalence of UI found in this study coincided with that described by Ahlund et al [ 27 ] in primiparous women with uncomplicated delivery one year after delivery, which reported that stress UI is the most prevalent PFD in the puerperium, with no relationship found between its occurrence and obstetric factors, such as duration of the delivery, infant weight, or infant’s head circumference. Other studies have associated the appearance of stress UI in the puerperium with the presence of symptoms before or during pregnancy and with obesity [ 28 ].…”

Women with Hidden Urinary Incontinence Waiting to Be Discovered: A Snapshot From a Developing Country

“…In the literature, regarding parity, vaginal delivery, and UI, as parity increases, incontinence symptoms increase (20,21). Exercises that strengthen the pelvic floor have a positive effect on UI symptoms in women (22).…”

Explaining factors affecting help-seeking behaviors in women with urinary incontinence: a qualitative study

“…Women are susceptible to involuntary leakage of urine due to their urinary system anatomy [3]. Moreover, some studies reported the relationship between demographic and midwifery factors such as age, parity, and delivery method with urinary incontinence [4][5][6].…”