Prevalence of Urinary Incontinence in Pregnant Women: A Cross Sectional Survey Study

Although urinary incontinence is not life threatening, it is burdensome physically, mentally, emotionally and economically. During pregnancy many factors like emotional changes mechanical, hormonal and circulatory changes, musculoskeletal changes are occurring in the pregnant women and causing pelvic pain and urinary incontinence. Objective: To determine the prevalence of urinary incontinence among pregnant women. Methods: A cross sectional survey study was conducted in Jinnah Hospital and Services Hospital Lahore. All those females who were in healthy pregnancy condition were included in this study. This convenient sampling was conducted in which sample of 323 were included with estimated population of 2000 women with 95% of confidence interval and 5% margin of error. In this study statistical analysis was done by using SPSS version 16. Results: Majority of females having age groups of 20 to 24 years and 25 to 29 years had mild problems of urinary incontinence. There were 14 subjects of age group 25 to 29 years that had moderate problem of urinary incontinence. There were 3 subjects of age group 25 to 29 years that had severe problem of urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence was common in females having 2 or 3 previous pregnancies or multiparous females. Conclusions: Hence, it is concluded that urinary incontinence is very common in pregnant females. Majority of females from age group 20 to 29 years had mild problem of urinary incontinence. Its incidence was greater in those females having 2 or 3 previous pregnancies or multiparous females