Urinary incontinence in pregnancy and the puerperium: A prospective study

OBJECTIVE: Pregnancy and childbirth are commonly thought to be associated w ith the development of urinary incontinence and lower urinary tract symptom s. The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship, if any, betwee n pregnancy and the development of lower urinary tract symptoms. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective study of lower urinary tract symptoms was carri ed out in a cohort of pregnant women who answered a series of symptom quest ionnaires and kept a 24-hour bladder chart on which frequency of urination and volumes voided were recorded throughout pregnancy and for 8 weeks after birth. RESULTS: A total of 123 women participated in the study. Mean daily urine o utput (P = .01) and the mean number of voids per day (P = .01) increased wi th gestational age and declined after delivery Episodes of urinary incontin ence peaked in the third trimester and improved after birth (P = .001). Whi te women had higher mean voided volumes and fewer voiding episodes than did black women. Ingestion of caffeine was associated with smaller voided volu mes and greater frequency of urination. CONCLUSION: Pregnancy is associated with an increase in urinary incontinenc e. This phenomenon decreases in the puerperium. Pregnancy and childbirth tr auma are important factors in the development of urinary incontinence among women. These findings warrant further investigation.