Urinary incontinence common among women 12 months postpartum

More than half of women were affected by urinary incontinence at 12 months following childbirth, according to findings presented at the American Urogynecologic Society 38th Annual Scientific Meeting.

Prior research has shown that urinary incontinence can range from 9% to 47% in women following childbirth; however, the rate and predictors at 12 months postpartum remains unclear.

Lauren E. Giugale, MD, from the department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Magee-Womens Hospital of University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, and colleagues examined data during first and third trimesters and 12 months postpartum from a prospective cohort of women who participated in the Impact of Pregnancy and Parturition on Pelvic Organ Support study. They enrolled nulliparous women aged 18 years and older who were in the first trimester from June 2011 to July 2012. Women were asked at 12 months postpartum how often they experienced urinary leakage.

Of 173 patients, 99 had 12-month follow-up. In total, 37 women experienced urinary incontinence in the first trimester, 57 in the third trimester and 54 at 12 months postpartum. Urinary incontinence affected 55% of women at 12 months. At 1 year postpartum, 24 women reported urinary incontinence less than once per month, 19 reported urinary incontinence one to several times per month, eight reported urinary incontinence once to several times per week and three reported symptoms every day.

Analysis showed that urinary incontinence in the first and third trimester, length of second stage and higher third trimester depression scores were associated with 12-month postpartum urinary incontinence. Notably, researchers identified the third trimester of pregnancy as a predictor of urinary incontinence at 12 months postpartum, (OR = 11.31; 95% CI, 3.26-39.2). The positive predictive value was 77.2%. – by Savannah Demko

References:

Giugale LE, et al. Oral Poster 102. Presented at: the American Urogynecologic Society 38th Annual Scientific Meeting; Oct. 3-7, 2017; Providence, Rhode Island.

Disclosures: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.