Urinary incontinence during pregnancy: prevalence, experience of bother, beliefs, and help-seeking behavior

Abstract

Abstract Introduction and hypothesis Pregnancy and delivery are thought to induce urinary incontinence (UI), but its clinical impact is less known. Therefore, we investigated the prevalence of self-reported UI, level of experience of bother, and beliefs to gain a greater understanding of help-seeking behavior in adult pregnant women. Methods A digital survey shared on social media was used for recruitment. The survey consists of: (1) demographic variables, (2) International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF), (3) ICIQ Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Quality of Life (ICIQ-LUTSqol), and (4) questions on beliefs and help-seeking behavior. For analysis, descriptive statistics and the independent samples t-test were used to determine differences between help- and non-help-seekers. Results Four hundred seven women were eligible for data analysis. The prevalence of UI rises from 55.1% in the first to 70.1% in the third trimester, with an overall prevalence of 66.8%. Nearly 43.0% of the respondents reported UI occurring once a week or less; 92.5% of women lost a small amount; 90% reported slight to moderate impact on quality of life. Only 13.1% of the respondents sought help for their UI. The main reasons for not seeking help were: minimal bother and the idea that UI would resolve by itself. Help-seeking women showed significantly higher scores than non-help-seeking women regarding ICIQ-UI SF (p < 0.001), ICIQ-LUTSqol (p ≤ 0.001), and interference in daily life (p < 0.001). Conclusions During pregnancy, UI affects two out of three women, but only one in eight women sought professional help. Non-help-seeking women experience less bother.