Yahoo! News - Pregnancy, Not Just Labor, Ups Incontinence Risk
Wed Mar 5, 5:54 PM ET
By Alison McCook
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)
"Women who have a baby are at somewhat higher risk of developing urinary incontinence later in life, even those who deliver via cesarean section, researchers said Wednesday. The highest risk of later incontinence appeared among women who delivered their infants vaginally, indicating that while vaginal delivery increases the chances of incontinence, pregnancy itself may, as well, the authors note. "Three in 13 women who deliver vaginally will be incontinent," lead author Dr. Guri Rortveit of the University of Bergen in Norway told Reuters Health. "But if the same 13 women underwent cesarean section instead, two of those 13 women would still be incontinent," she added." [I only learned recentlyt hat some women choose c-section to avoid incontinence. This research says the risk isn't worth the benefit. - JC]