Urinary disorders during pregnancy and postpartum: our experience

The changes that take place in the pelvic region during birth can give rise to alterations in the genitourinary system which are at the basis of pathologies such as stress urinary incontinence (SUI). The occurrence of this condition has been correlated to a variety of factors including neonatal birth weight and obesity. We studied 120 women, 60 nulliparae, 40 primiparae and 20 multiparae who were divided into three groups on the basis of urinary problems experienced. The first group consisted of women who had reported urinary incontinence during pregnancy (76%). This was found to be significantly correlated to the number of pregnancies and weight gained; 18% of this group reported IUS during the postpartum period. The second group consisted of women who did not experience any urinary incontinence during the pregnancy or postpartum while the third group consisted of women who, although not experiencing any urinary problems during pregnancy, reported urinary incontinence in the postpartum period. These data, although only part of an initial study, reveal a consistent frequency of urinary incontinence in pregnancy and postpartum, and highlight risk factors.