Women's Health — incontinence

Stress Incontinence in Women, Explained!

December 25, 2023

1 in 3 of all women according to global studies (link some) face urinary incontinence, or the sudden/accidental leak of urine in their life.

Incontinence in Women

Urinary incontinence or urine leakage in women is losing the ability to control their bladder. The condition more commonly affects older people but can happen to anybody at any age. It is twice as common in women than men. It is commonly caused in women due to pregnancy, surgeries related to lower abdomen, etc. Loss of urinary control due to incontinence is nothing to worry and can be managed with Kegel exercises and use of products like ladies’ diapers, underpads, etc. Women’s health also plays an important role in development of incontinence. Though it may be tough to prevent incontinence due to pregnancy and surgeries, keeping yourself and your bladder healthy will help you manage it better.

Pregnancy and Incontinence

To be mothers often report the urge to frequently urinate and start experiencing incontinence. This type of incontinence is commonly referred to as urge incontinence where a person gets frequent and sudden urges to urinate and may lose urinary control even before they reach the bathroom. In addition to urge incontinence, pregnant women also experience stress incontinence, which is termed as mixed incontinence.

Urine leakage in women is common during pregnancy because the bladder is right below the uterus and it often gets squeezed due to weight of the growing baby. By the third trimester, even simple physical movements like coughing, sneezing, etc can cause urine leakage in women. To manage this, products like adult diapers for women, insert pads or maternity pads can be used.

Postpartum Care

New mothers commonly develop postpartum incontinence post their delivery and need to wear incontinence supplies like ladies’ diapers, insert pads, etc. During pregnancy, your body organs adjust and make space for the growing baby. More pressure is often put on the bladder which may cause the pelvic floor muscles to lose their strength. There are easy ways to manage the loss of urinary control post pregnancy.

● Kegel exercises – These exercises are effectively designed to help you strengthen your pelvic floor muscles. Make sure you talk to your doctor before you start exercising.

● Lifestyle changes – Simple lifestyle changes like switching to a healthy diet, staying active, and taking care of your hydration can effectively help in managing the condition.

● Use of incontinence products – Manage incontinence with use of products like adult diapers for women, underpads, insert pads, etc.

● Visit your doctor – While experiencing incontinence is common post pregnancy, pay a visit to your doctor to learn more about it and come up with an effective action plan to help you through it.