The effect of pregnancy-related urinary incontinence on incidence and quality of life

Aim: In this study, we aimed to determine the incidence of urinary incontinence during pregnancy and to evaluate its effects on quality of life.Material and Methods: The study was designed as a cross-sectional descriptive study. The University of Michigan Incontinence Symptom Index (M-ISI) questionnaire was administered to 549 pregnant women who applied to the antenatal outpatient clinics of Prof. Dr. Cemil Tascioglu City Hospital between December 2022 and January 2023. Descriptive statistical methods were used to evaluate percentages (%), means (standard deviation (SD)), and medians ((25th and 75th percentiles) (minimum and maximum)). A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results: Urinary incontinence was observed in 56.1% of the 549 pregnant women included in the study. Mixed urinary incontinence was most common in the third trimester (p=0.001). The mean BMI of pregnant women with stress urinary incontinence was higher than that of continent pregnant women (p=0,001). According to the M-ISI questionnaire, the severity and bother scores of pregnant women with urinary incontinence were higher than those of the continent group (p=0,001).Discussion: Urinary incontinence is common during pregnancy and negatively impacts the quality of life of pregnant women. Our primary outcome was that urinary incontinence was observed in 56.1% of pregnant women. Our secondary outcome was that according to the M-ISI questionnaire, the bother scores of pregnant women with urinary incontinence were higher than those of the continent group, thus negatively impacting the quality of life of incontinent pregnant women.