Does urinary incontinence occurrence depend on the menstrual cycle phase?
BACKGROUND
The aim was to study an eventual co-variation of menstrual cycle progression and urinary incontinence (UI) occurrence in 20-54-year-old-women, who have regular menstrual cycles, which are not influenced by exogenous sex hormones.


METHODS
An age-stratified random sample of of 3900 women, aged 20-59 years, answered a questionnaire on UI. The present analysis included 821 women, who reported regular menstrual cycles un-intervened by sex hormone intake.


RESULTS
Five percent of the women reported episodes of UI the day before they answered the questionnaire. Urinary incontinence was unassociated with menstrual cycle characteristics, such as time position from day one in the menstrual cycle, presence and amount of bleeding and the number of sanitary towels or tampons used. There was however, a borderline significant association (P = 0.08) with day 11-15 before the expected next menstrual bleeding.


CONCLUSIONS
The present data allow for limited co-variation, if any, to exist in UI occurrence with the natural menstrual cycle phases, including the menstruation itself. A hypothesis of a moderate UI increase associated with ovulation however, merits attention.
Hvidman
Lone
L
Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Aarhus, Aarhus, Denmark. 1h@social.au.dk
Foldspang
Anders
A
Mommsen
Soeren
S
Bugge Nielsen
John
J
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008597:Menstrual Cycle; D008875:Middle Aged; D010060:Ovulation / Q000502:physiology; D012494:Sampling Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000503:physiopathology*