The impact of fecal and urinary incontinence on quality of life 6 months after childbirth.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of the study was to investigate the impact of postpartum fecal incontinence (FI) and urinary incontinence (UI) on quality of life (QOL).


METHODS
Seven hundred fifty-nine primiparous women in the Childbirth and Pelvic Symptoms study were interviewed 6 months postpartum. FI and UI were assessed with validated questionnaires. We measured QOL with SF-12 summary scores, health utility index score (a measure of self-rated overall health), and the modified Manchester Health Questionnaire.


RESULTS
Women with FI had worse self-rated health utility index scores (85.1 +/- 9.8 vs 88.0 +/- 11.6, P = .02) and Medical Outcomes Study Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) mental summary scores (46.8 +/- 9.2 vs 51.1 +/- 8.7, P < .0001) than women without FI or flatal incontinence. Women with UI had worse SF-12 mental summary scores (48.3 +/- 9.8 vs 51.6 +/- 7.8, P < .01) and self-rated health utility index scores (84.1 +/- 12.5 vs 88.7 +/- 10.1, P < .01) than women without UI. Women with both FI and UI had the lowest SF-12 mental summary scores (44.5 +/- 9.0).


CONCLUSIONS
Six months after delivery, women experiencing FI or UI reported negative effects on health-related QOL. FI and UI together have a greater impact than either condition alone.
Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
Victoria L
VL
Handa
Halina M
HM
Zyczynski
Kathryn L
KL
Burgio
Mary Pat
MP
Fitzgerald
Diane
D
Borello-France
Nancy K
NK
Janz
Paul M
PM
Fine
William
W
Whitehead
Morton B
MB
Brown
Anne M
AM
Weber
D000328:Adult; D017281:Cost of Illness; D005242:Fecal Incontinence; D005260:Female; D006305:Health Status Indicators; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D049590:Postpartum Period; D011788:Quality of Life; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D018434:Sickness Impact Profile; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014549:Urinary Incontinence