Frequency, severity and risk factors for urinary and faecal incontinence at 4 years postpartum: a prospective cohort

Abstract

Objectives: To investigate frequency, severity and risk factors for urinary incontinence and faecal incontinence 4 years after a first birth. Design: Prospective pregnancy cohort study. Setting: Melbourne, Australia. Sample: A total of 1011 nulliparous women recruited in early pregnancy. Methods: Participants were followed up at 32 weeks of gestation; then at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months and 4 years postpartum. Main outcome measures: Frequency and severity of urinary and faecal incontinence. Results: At 4 years, 29.6% of women reported urinary incontinence and 7.1% reported faecal incontinence. Compared with women having only spontaneous vaginal births, women who delivered exclusively by caesarean ..