Prevalence of urinary leakage in nulliparous women with respect to physical activity and micturition habits

Int Urogynecol J Pelvic Floor Dysfunct. 2004 May-Jun;15(3):149-53. doi: 10.1007/s00192-004-1135-y. Epub 2004 Mar 25.

Abstract

In order to survey the influence of physical activity and micturition habits on urinary leakage (UL) in women before their first pregnancy, a study including 725 women attending nine maternity clinics in the northwest area of Stockholm was performed. During the 36th gestational week the women answered a questionnaire regarding the pre-pregnancy situation regarding UL, micturition habits and physical activity. Thirty-nine percent of the women, mean age of 28 (range 17-43) years, had experienced occasional UL. Of these, the majority (79%) had symptoms of stress urinary leakage and 21% had urge symptoms. Two percent were incontinent according to the definition of the International Continence Society (ICS). In a multivariate analysis age, inability to interrupt the urine flow and high-impact physical activity turned out to be independent risk factors for UL and thus should be observed together with traditional factors concerning UL in nulliparous women.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Epidemiologic Studies
  • Exercise*
  • Female
  • Health Surveys
  • Humans
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Parity
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Sweden / epidemiology
  • Urinary Incontinence / epidemiology*
  • Urination*