title: The effect of pregnancy and mode of delivery on the prevalence of urinary and fecal incontinence.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to determine the relative effects of pregnancy and mode of delivery on the prevalence of urinary and fecal incontinence.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, observational multicenter study of women presenting to 6 gynecology clinics. Demographic data collected included: height, weight, gravidity, parity, and number of vaginal deliveries. Patients were diagnosed with incontinence by questionnaire. Standard univariate logistic regression analyses' were performed to determine the contribution of pregnancy, mode of delivery, and BMI on the prevalence of urinary and fecal incontinence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One thousand and four women were enrolled over an 18-month period. Two hundred and thirty-seven and 128 subjects had urinary and fecal incontinence, respectively. Odds ratio (95% CI) calculated for the prevalence of urinary incontinence by pregnancy and mode of delivery were: any term pregnancy vs no term pregnancy was 2.46 (1.53-3.95), any term pregnancy but no vaginal deliveries (cesarean section only) vs no term pregnancy was 1.95 (0.99-3.80), any term pregnancy and at least 1 vaginal delivery vs no term pregnancy was 2.53 (1.57-4.07), and any term pregnancy but no vaginal delivery (cesarean section only) vs any term pregnancy, and at least 1 vaginal delivery was 1.30 (0.77-3.95). Odds ratio (95% CI) calculated for the prevalence of fecal incontinence by pregnancy and mode of delivery were: any term pregnancy vs no term pregnancy was 2.26 (1.22-4.19), any term pregnancy but no vaginal deliveries (cesarean section only) vs no term pregnancy was 1.13 (0.43-2.96), any term pregnancy and at least 1 vaginal delivery vs no term pregnancy was 2.41 (1.30-4.49), and any term pregnancy but no vaginal deliveries (cesarean section only) vs any term pregnancy, and at least 1 vaginal delivery was 2.15 (0.97-4.77). BMI and age did not impact these results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pregnancy increases the risk of urinary and fecal incontinence. Cesarean section does not decrease the risk of urinary or fecal incontinence compared to pregnancy with a vaginal delivery.
authors.affiliation: Division of Benign Gynecology, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425, USA.
authors.forename: Vikki
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: McKinnie
authors.forename: Steven E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Swift
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Woodman
authors.forename: Amy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: O'Boyle
authors.forename: Margie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Valley
authors.forename: Deirdre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bland
authors.forename: Joe
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schaffer
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D002585:Cesarean Section; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D005242:Fecal Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000453:epidemiology*