The prevalence of urinary and fecal incontinence in Canadian secondary school teenage girls: Questionnaire study and review of the literature

The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of pelvic floor dys function and incontinence in the Canadian nulligravid secondary school fema le teenage population. During the University of Toronto day in 1996, female visitors to the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department booth were asked to c omplete anonymous pelvic floor and continence questionnaires, which were th oroughly explained to them and completed during their visit. Out of the 332 completed forms, 69% were completed by nulligravid teenagers in secondary school. These students formed our study population. The prevalence of urgen cy urinary incontinence (UUI) symptoms was 17% and of stress urinary incont inence (SUI) symptoms was 15%. In all candidates these reported symptoms we re mild, occurring less than once a week. Occasional minor fecal incontinen ce (involuntary loss of flatus or fecal staining) was 38%; of these, 92% re ported loss of flatus. Major fecal incontinence with loose bowel movements was reported by 3% of the Study population. Two girls (1%) reported nocturn al enuresis. Weight directly correlated with SUI symptoms and fecal inconti nence, but not with WI. Fecal incontinence correlated with SUI symptoms (P= 0.0152), but not with UUI. Ten per cent of the study population were sexual ly active, but sexual activity did not correlate with incontinence problems . Voiding habits were markedly variable: 30% were infrequent voiders (three times or fewer per day), Nocturia was reported by 3%. We concluded that in nulligravid teenage female students minor fecal incontinence appears to be the most common incontinence type urge incontinence was slightly more comm on than SUI. Unlike UUI, SUI symptoms were more prevalent with fecal incont inence, which were affected by weight. There appears to be a problem with a high prevalence of poor voiding habits.