Risk factors for urinary incontinence in Turkish women. A cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: To explore the association between conventional risk factors and urinary leakage among a random sample of adult Turkish women.

METHODS: Six hundred and fifty patients (mean age 33.2 ± 10.6 years; range 17-65 years) attending 6 Primary Health Care Centers in the Eastern Marmara Region, Turkey were randomly enrolled in this study, between September 2005 and December 2005. After signing their informed consent, all patients filled in a questionnaire consisting of questions inquiring any kind of urinary leakage, related symptomatology and personal medical history.

RESULTS: One hundred and six women (16.4%) with urinary incontinence (UI) were reported. The most frequent type of incontinence was mixed UI (n=65, 61.3%). The prevalence of stress UI among all incontinent women was 20.8% (n=22) and urge UI 17.9% (n=19). The prevalence was associated with age, body mass index and parity. Number of pregnancies was positively correlated with prevalence of incontinence (r=0.30, p<0.001). Women who had >2 deliveries had a higher risk of UI (odds ratio = 4.04, 95% confidence interval, 2.37 to 6.89, p<0.001).

CONCLUSION: The results of this study supported previous reports revealing that age, body mass index, type of deliveries and number of pregnancies/deliveries are risk factors of UI, and showed that age, body mass index and number of pregnancies should be regarded as independent risk factors.