Perinatal urinary and fecal incontinence: suffering in silence

This article focuses on the prevention, identification, and management of urinary and fecal incontinence in the perinatal period. Both urinary and fecal incontinence are common concerns affecting women throughout pregnancy, intrapartum, and postpartum. These are the problems that are not approached by healthcare providers during the initial antepartal assessment, nor are they fully investigated after delivery. Many women hesitate to disclose this information. Women tend to consider this to be a minor discomfort of pregnancy and a consequence resulting from childbirth in the postpartum period. Intervention strategies and nursing care components in the perinatal period will be presented.