Is urinary incontinence during and after pregnancy related to family history? A web-based survey among postpartum women (motherfit project)

The authors studied whether family history of urinary incontinence (UI) is associated with pre- and postpartum UI. In 2010, Dutch postpartum women at three months were approached to fill in a Web-based questionnaire on UI and risk factors (body mass index, BMI), parity, pelvic organ prolapse, and family history. Results were analyzed with Chi-square and logistic regression analyses. 162 (61%) questionnaires were analyzed, 76 (47%) women reported UI before, during and/or after pregnancy, of which 34% also reported a UI family history. Sixteen (19%) out of 84 women without UI reported UI family history (p = 0.05). BMI was associated with prepartum UI (p = 0.035), but the association disappears when adding family history. Women with unknown UI family history had higher risk for postpartum U. UI family history is associated with UI during pregnancy. More awareness and research is needed whether adding family history questions on UI in prepartum consultations improves timely prevention.