Adult female urinary incontinence and childhood bedwetting

A cross-sectional random population sample of women 30 to 59 years old was sent a questionnaire on urinary incontinence and, among other things, childhood bedwetting. Among 2,613 responders 17.0% reported prevalent urinary incontinence (14.7% stress provoked, 8.3% associated with urge, 6.8% stress and urge overlap, 2.2% occurring especially during sleep and 3.9% occurring especially when anxious), and 6.5% reported childhood bedwetting after age 5 years and 3.3% after age 10 years. Childhood bedwetting was associated with prevalent urge urinary incontinence (p < 0.01) and incontinence occurring during sleep (p < 0.0001) but was less marked with urinary incontinence occurring in situations of anxiety (p < 0.025). It is concluded that some individuals suffer a long-lasting disturbance of the balance between micturition and sleep processes.