Urinary Incontinence and Pregnancy

1. Urinary Incontinence & Pregnancy During pregnancy, many women experience at least some degree of urinary incontinence, which is the involuntary loss of urine.may be mild and infrequent for some pregnant women. But it can be more severe for others. Age and body mass index are risk factors for pregnancy incontinence, What Types of Incontinence Are Experienced During and After Pregnancy? The kind of incontinence experienced during pregnancy is usually stress incontinence (SI). Stress incontinence is the loss of urine caused by increased pressure on the bladder. In stress incontinence, the bladder sphincter does not function well enough to hold in urine. How Is Urinary Incontinence During Pregnancy Treated? Voiding and Bladder training Device to block the urethra Medications Use of incontinence products Bladder Sling Surgery Pelvic floor/Kegel exercises What Are Kegel Exercises? Kegel exercises are another method that can be used to help control urinary incontinence. These exercises help tighten and strengthen the muscles in the pelvic floor. Strengthening the pelvic floor muscles can improve the function of the urethra and rectal sphincter. One way to find the Kegel muscles is to sit on the toilet and begin urinating. Then stop urinating mid- stream. The muscles that you use to stop the flow of urine are the Kegel muscles. Another way to help locate the Kegel muscles is to insert a finger into the vagina and try to make the muscles around your finger tighter. When Should You See a Health Care Professional About Incontinence? Talk to your doctor if you still have bladder problems six weeks after delivery. Accidental leaking of urine may mean that you have another medical condition. The loss of bladder control should be treated or it can become a long-term problem. Click here to know more