Stress urinary incontinence in continent primigravidas

Abstract

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is an often under-reported and under-treated condition. It can affect the psychological and social wellbeing of a woman; it can have long-term effects on their quality of life and is associated with enormous health-related costs. SUI is the most common type of urinary incontinence (UI) in pregnant women. SUI is a common aftermath of the first pregnancy and delivery. For the purpose of this review, we will be presenting data from studies of healthy primigravidae continent prior to pregnancy. For this review paper, the Embase, Cochrane and Medline databases were searched for studies relating SUI in pregnancy and the treatment options for SUI postnatally from 1969 to 2010. Studies were also obtained from references of published reviews. Understanding the causative factors and treatment options can health professionals deliver more informed counselling to their patients and encourage motivation and compliance for therapeutic options.

Keywords::

• Pelvic muscle training
• pregnancy
• stress urinary incontinence
• tension free vaginal tape

Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.