Comparison of low urinary tract symptoms during pregnancy between primiparous and multiparous women

Low urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are a common problem during pregnancy. This study aimed to compare changes in the prevalence of LUTS during pregnancy between primiparous and multiparous women.

A chart review of consecutive pregnant women who attended our antenatal clinic from March 2002 to January 2006 was performed. All of the women were asked to respond to a LUTS questionnaire in either of the three trimesters.

Of the 270 women included, 164 were nullipara and 106 were multipara. The most common LUTS during pregnancy were frequency (77%), followed by nocturia (75.6%), stress urinary incontinence (SUI) (51.1%), incomplete emptying (43.7%), dysuria (17.8%), and urgency incontinence (10.4%). There was a significantly higher prevalence of SUI (P<0.001) and urgency incontinence (P=0.005) in the multiparous compared to the nulliparous women. Increasing prevalence rates of frequency, nocturia, SUI, and incomplete emptying were reported with gestational age in both the nulliparous and multiparous women.

Frequency and nocturia were the two most common LUTS during pregnancy. The prevalence rates of all LUTS increased with increasing gestational age except for frequency in the nulliparous women during the second trimester. In addition, multipara was a predictor of SUI during pregnancy.