title: Peripartum urinary incontinence: a study of midwives' knowledge and practices.
abstract: Urinary incontinence impacts on women's quality of life and their wellbeing. The objectives of this study were to obtain knowledge and information on midwives' assessment and management practices of urinary incontinence in childbearing women and to explore midwives' knowledge of risk factors associated with developing urinary incontinence. A non-experimental descriptive research design was used, and participants were current members of the Victorian branch of the Australian College of Midwives. Data was obtained using a survey tool that contained both qualitative and quantitative questions. Key findings indicated that the majority of midwives do not assess women for urinary incontinence during the peripartum period and guidelines for bladder management in maternity services were lacking.
authors.affiliation: Birralee Maternity Service, Box Hill Hospital, Nelson Road, Box Hill 3128, Australia. Yvonne.Butterfield@easternhealth.org.au
authors.forename: Yvonne C
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Butterfield
authors.forename: Beverly
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: O'Connell
authors.forename: Diane
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Phillips
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D008880:Midwifery / Q000458:organization & administration*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D011181:Postnatal Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014550:Urinary Incontinence, Stress / Q000451:nursing* / Q000517:prevention & control; D014739:Victoria