Urinary incontinence – what is it?

Symptoms of urinary incontinence may vary due to medical reasons. Nevertheless, urinary incontinence should always be considered as a disorder and not as a disease in itself. Every third woman experiences urinary incontinence in her lifetime, as it is about twice as common in women as in men.

The number of women suffering from incontinence increases with the number of births. Thus, 10% of women who have given birth to three children have urinary incontinence, and this percentage has increased among women who have given birth to four children 15.

In women, the bladder and ureter are supported by a layer of muscle called the pelvic floor muscles. These muscles support the urethral sphincter, and as these muscles weaken and their elasticity decreases, even the most common operations, such as coughing, can cause urine leakage in women. The pelvic floor muscles can stretch and weaken, for example during pregnancy and childbirth. Being overweight also puts too much strain on the pelvic floor muscles.

During menopause, the blood supply to the pelvic floor muscles may decrease and their function will become weaker, which will lead to urinary incontinence. As you age, your body’s muscles become weaker, and after menopause, the mucus in the bladder and ureter wall becomes thinner due to a decrease in the female sex hormone (estrogen).

Other causes of urinary incontinence in women may include nerve damage, certain medications, constipation, and various cystitis.