One in eight healthy young women may suffer from urinary incontinence (UI), a new study has found.
Researchers surveyed 1,000 healthy women aged between 16-30 years to determine the prevalence and risk factors of UI and found that 12.6% of the women suffered from the condition.
Although UI is usually common with old age, pregnancy and obesity, one in eight young women suffered from incontinence irrespective of these common risks.
The study also measured the impact of UI on quality of life, everyday functioning and general wellbeing. It reported that women with incontinence were often worried about odour and restricted their fluid intake. They were also more likely to have greater anxiety and depressed moods.
The researchers said the frequency with which young women were affected with urinary incontinence was not well understood until now.
Read more at Monash University