Page 84 - April Issue

in focus: birth | discomfort

Female stress
incontinence

a.k.a ‘Non-Stop Urination’
during Pregnancy

Female stress incontinence is a common
condition affecting millions of women worldwide,

young and old. Although incontinence is often
thought of as a necessary part of growing older,
female stress incontinence is never normal and

can be related to pregnancy and childbirth.

mother, baby & child April 2011 S ue Anderson, a British underlying medical condition. stress incontinence. This type
expat now residing in Women experience incontinence of incontinence can affect
Dubai is in her third two times more often than men young women as easily as older
trimester with her first baby due to pregnancy, childbirth, women. Younger women may
and says that she had no idea menopause, and the structure of feel more distressed when
she would suffer from this the female urinary tract. they experience female stress
embarrassing problem. “No one incontinence, simply due to
ever tells you about this part Defined the fact that younger women
of pregnancy! It started a few do not expect to experience
months back and every time I Female stress incontinence incontinence at a young age.
would sneeze or laugh, I would can be described as the
leak. It’s become so bad that I involuntary release of urine Physiology
get nervous to step out in case due to stress placed on the
it happens—what can I do?” bladder. This stress does not Incontinence in women usually
She is far from alone, more than have to involve major activity, occurs because of problems
13 million people in the United and can be something as simple with muscles that help to hold
States experience incontinence. as sneezing, coughing, lifting or release urine. The body
Many times it is temporary, a heavy object or laughing too stores urine--water and wastes
and it always results from an hard. Some forms of exercise, removed by the kidneys--in the
such as running, may also cause bladder, a balloon-like organ.

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