Knowledge and Prevalence of Urinary Incontinence Among Third-Trimester Pregnant Women

To evaluate the knowledge regarding urinary incontinence (UI) among third-trimester pregnant women, identify associated factors, and determine the prevalence of UI.

A cross-sectional study was performed on pregnant women in their third trimester, aged 20 years and older, at a tertiary care hospital from October 2023 to July 2024. The Prolapse and Incontinence Knowledge Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence subscale (PIKQ-UI) was utilized as the principal instrument for evaluating knowledge. Participants achieving a score of 80% or higher on the PIKQ-UI questionnaire were considered proficient in UI knowledge. The associations between patient characteristics variables and proficient level of UI knowledge were investigated to identify associated factors. International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ-FLUTS) was used to determine the prevalence of UI.

A total of 692 participants completed the questionnaire, with a mean age of 29.49 ± 5.92 years, and 13.58% (94/692) of third-trimester pregnant women exhibited proficiency in UI knowledge. The mean UI knowledge, as indicated by the PIKQ-UI score, was 6.27 ± 2.66. Multivariate analysis of variables correlated with proficiency in UI knowledge indicated that employment as a health system worker was only one factor exhibiting a statistically significant correlation with proficiency in UI knowledge (OR 7.38, 95%CI 3.47-15.67, p value 0.03). The prevalence of UI was 66.33%, with mixed UI being the most common type.

Despite the high prevalence of UI, third-trimester pregnant women were still perceived as having incomplete knowledge of the condition. Educating on UI may enhance understanding of the condition, improve healthcare accessibility, and improve the quality of life for affected women.