RTI uses cookies to offer you the best experience online. By clicking “accept” on this website, you opt in and you agree to the use of cookies. If you would like to know more about how RTI uses cookies and how to manage them please view our Privacy Policy here. You can “opt out” or change your mind by visiting: http://optout.aboutads.info/. Click “accept” to agree.
Incidence and remission of urinary incontinence in middle-aged women
Townsend, M. K., Danforth, K. N., Lifford, K. L., Rosner, B., Curhan, G. C., Resnick, N. M., & Grodstein, F. (2007). Incidence and remission of urinary incontinence in middle-aged women. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 197(2), 167.e1-167.e5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ajog.2007.03.041
OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to describe changes in urinary incontinence in middle-aged women.
STUDY DESIGN: A prospective analysis of 64,650 women aged 36-55 years in the Nurses' Health Study II. Participants reported urine leaking in 2001 and 2003. Two-year incidence and remission proportions were estimated.
RESULTS: The 2-year incidence of incontinence was 13.7%. Incidence generally increased through age 50 years and then declined slightly in older women. Among women with incident incontinence at least weekly, the incidence of stress incontinence increased through age 50 years (2-year incidence 1.7%), and the incidence of urge incontinence was stable across age groups (2-year incidence 0.4%). Also, a minority (38%) mentioned leaking to their physician. Complete remission of symptoms occurred in 13.9% of women with incontinence at baseline.
CONCLUSION: We found that incontinence occurs frequently in middle-aged women. Yet few women mentioned incontinence to their physicians; thus, it may be important to initiate conversations about urinary symptoms even among younger patients.
