Urinary incontinence is a condition that affects the person socially and psychologically, no matter what stage of life it is. The mother, who is mentally and physically relieved after giving birth, is seriously affected when faced with a problem such as urinary incontinence.
What is the cause of urinary incontinence after birth?
Many changes occur in a woman's body with childbirth. The pressure in the abdomen decreases, the barrier in front of the blood returning from the legs is removed and the estrogen level in the blood decreases. As a result, the amount of urine excreted increases. For this reason, even if there is urinary incontinence (if there is no infection), 6 weeks should be waited after delivery for everything to normalize.
Urinary incontinence is a condition encountered especially after normal delivery rather than cesarean section. Normal delivery, difficult or prolonged delivery, straining, and incision in the birth called 'Episiotomy' increase the risk. In cases of increased intra-abdominal pressure, such as straining, pelvic floor muscle and connective tissue are severely affected. As a result, urinary incontinence occurs in situations such as coughing and laughing due to damage to these tissues.
Postpartum urinary tract infection can also cause urinary incontinence. In the presence of infection, complaints such as burning during urination and abdominal pain can also be observed.
Type of urinary incontinence
Urinary incontinence, which is encountered after birth, is mostly observed in cases of increased intra-abdominal pressure, which we call the 'Stress Type'. That is, coughing, sneezing, laughing, straining. Besides; Urge and Overflow type urinary incontinence, which are other types of urinary incontinence, are observed less frequently after delivery.
What should be done to avoid urinary incontinence?
Frequent urination is considered normal during pregnancy, and a high rate of urinary incontinence can also be observed. If there is no urinary tract infection on the ground, urinary incontinence may occur due to the pressure of the growing uterus and its effect on circulation. Many resolve spontaneously after birth. Kegel exercises are the most important method to prevent this from happening during and after pregnancy.
Excessive consumption of tea and coffee after birth will also reduce the nervous control of the urinary bladder and should be avoided.
How to do Kegel exercise?
The important thing in Kegel exercises is to strengthen the pelvic floor muscle group. Every woman needs to explore this muscle group. The simplest way to do this is to stop and hold the urine once while urinating. After learning this muscle group, muscle-relaxation should be done 20 times 3 times a day. Doing this exercise regularly strengthens the pelvic floor muscle group.
Medical or surgical treatments are rarely used, as Kegel exercises will be sufficient in most patients. However, if urinary incontinence continues for a long time after delivery, it is absolutely necessary to consult a specialist.
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