The urine losses They are usually common during pregnancy, especially after the third trimester. Everyday acts such as coughing, sneezing, laughing out loud, practicing certain sports or just walking at a good pace can lead to an episode of urinary incontinence.
Today we tell you why urine leaks occur during pregnancy and even during postpartum, and what we can do to try to avoid them.
Why do urine losses occur during pregnancy?
Almost 40 percent of pregnant women suffer from urinary incontinence, a usual discomfort but very uncomfortable and worrying, which occurs due to a calculation of factors such as hormonal changes, weight gain and the pressure that the baby exerts on the bladder as it grows.
In Babies and more, are you a 100-meter champion in the bathroom? Why do you need to urinate frequently when you are pregnantThere are also others risk factors that predispose to suffer urine loss, for example:
- Overweight and obesity before pregnancy.
- Excessive weight gain during pregnancy.
- Twin pregnancy
- Being over 35 years old, because the pelvic floor muscles do not have the same firmness.
- Being primiparous, because in the first pregnancy is when the woman's pelvic floor suffers the most.
- Having a family history, that is, mother or sister with urinary incontinence.
If you are pregnant and occasionally suffer episodes of urinary incontinence, it is important that make sure that it is indeed urine, as there are causes that could cause losses of amniotic fluid, and in that case you should immediately consult your doctor.
In Babies and more, how do I know if I have broken waters?Most cases of urinary incontinence during pregnancy are not serious and they resolve once it has given birth, but it is convenient to know that many women who suffer losses of urine in this stage will have more possibilities of suffering them also in the future.
When incontinence continues after delivery
Occasionally, urinary incontinence continues during postpartum. And it is that the weight that has had to support the pelvic floor in pregnancy may have weakened the muscles, causing urine drops to escape involuntarily before certain efforts.
Although this situation usually disappears five or six weeks after giving birth, it is advisable consult with your doctor or a physiotherapist specialized in pelvic floor, so that they value the state of our muscles, and give us guidelines to strengthen it and prevent this from happening.
Can urine losses be avoided during pregnancy?
Although, as we have seen, it is a fairly common discomfort during pregnancy, it is advisable to consult with a doctor or / and physiotherapist specialized in pelvic floor, to make an assessment and tell us how to proceed in this regard.
Among the recommendations we can carry out are:
Do not wait to have an urge to urinate. Try to empty the bladder before this happens.
Avoid the intake of caffeine, spicy foods and soft drinks that irritate the bladder.
Avoid constipation during pregnancy, as hard stools can press the bladder and make it more "vulnerable" to leaks.
Use special compresses for incontinence, which will also help prevent urinary tract infections.
In Babies and more Recovering our pelvic floor, that great unknownWe can also prevent urine leaks during pregnancy if before we get pregnant we strengthen our pelvic floor with specific exercises guided by a specialist. In this sense, Kegel exercises are an excellent ally, because with just five minutes a day we will help tone the muscles and prevent (or overcome) urinary incontinence.
If we are pregnant, we should practice this exercise routine on a daily basis, since not only will it help us in our day to day improving our physical condition, but that will strengthen our muscles for the time of delivery.
The practice of hypopressive abdominal gymnastics, and certain yoga and pilates exercises can complement Kegel exercises, although hypopressives are not recommended during pregnancy.
And once we have given birth, "Chinese balls" or intravaginal spheres can also be an interesting therapeutic tool to recover the muscle tone of this area, as long as the specialist recommends it.
In summary, a toned pelvic floor will help control the urinary sphincter, in addition to playing a fundamental role during pregnancy, supporting the extra weight of the baby and pushing it through the vagina at the time of delivery.
