Urol. praxi, 2014; 15(4): 152-154

Urinary incontinence during pregnancy

MUDr.Ivan Huvar, CSc.

Gynekologicko-porodnické oddělení, Nemocnice Milosrdných bratří, Brno

Urinary incontinence is a symptom unexpectedly frequent in gravidity, affecting more than one half of pregnant women´s population..

It is more common in multiparous, than nulliparous women. The most common type of urinary incontinence during pregnancy is stress

urinary incontinence (SUI), with prevalence 18,6–75 %, worsening with increasing gestational age to term. The cause of urinary incontinence

in pregnancy is multifactorial and includes mechanical (expansion of growing uterus and increment increase of fetal weight), hormonal

(progesteron, relaxin) and structural (total collagen content reduction and its tensile properties changes) influences, resulting in pelvic

floor muscles weakness, uretral hypermobility nad, lower urethral pressure profile, leading to urethral sfincter incompetence and GSI..

Genetic factors, obesity and multigravidity contribute to the occurence of GSI.. Pelvic floor muscle exercise is the first-line treatment of

SUI, effective both in therapy and prevention of GSI in pregnant women.

Keywords: urinary incontinence, stress incontinence, pregnancy, pelvic floor

Published: October 1, 2014  Show citation