Sneezing releases urine during pregnancy. How to get rid of urinary incontinence in late pregnancy. How to properly build a diet for a patient with urinary incontinence in the later stages

If you have problems with bladder control, have urinary incontinence during pregnancy, do not worry. This is a common occurrence in expectant mothers when sneezing, coughing, laughing or stressing. This situation is annoying, it becomes embarrassing for women, but remember that this is normal and the phenomenon is temporary. With incontinence, urine often leaks with a specific smell of ammonia.

What you need to know about the bladder during pregnancy?

Everyone experiences urinary incontinence during pregnancy to some degree. Involuntary leakage of urine may be minor and infrequent for some pregnant women. But it can also become a serious problem for others. Foods and medications that can make the problem worse or lead to incontinence include:

caffeine, carbonated drinks.
alcoholic drinks.
medicines that increase urine production (diuretics) or relax the bladder (antidepressants).
cigarettes.

Age and body weight are risk factors for expectant mothers. After the age of 35, overweight pregnant women are more susceptible to this condition. Incontinence can continue after pregnancy, immediately after childbirth. Expectant mothers may experience the following problems:

reluctance to go out in public places because of embarrassment;
activity disappears;
irritation of the inguinal region due to frequent urges.

Urinary incontinence during pregnancy is a common problem for many expectant mothers.

Doctors distinguish two types of incontinence in pregnant women:

Stress incontinence is also called pressure incontinence. Caused by increased pressure on the bladder. Associated with weakening of the pelvic floor muscles, manifests itself with tension (lifting weights, coughing, etc.).
Imperative, when the urge to urinate is accompanied by leakage.
Mixed, a combination of stressful and imperative types.

Symptoms of incontinence

Urinary incontinence during pregnancy has the main symptom - this is the problem of urinary control already in early pregnancy. Symptoms of urinary incontinence:

Involuntary release of biofluid, especially when coughing, sneezing, or laughing.
Urine is excreted in small doses.
Urination is frequent, sudden and uncontrollable.
Moderate small leakage of urine to the outside.

Causes of the disease

In the early and late stages of gestation, urinary incontinence in pregnant women occurs due to the same reasons:

Increased pressure on the bladder. As a consequence, the bladder tube does not work well enough and involuntary release of urine occurs.
Overactive bladder. In this condition, women have to urinate more often than usual because their bladders have uncontrollable spasms. In addition, the muscles of the urethra may be stretched. If the bladder contracts too much, the muscles may not work.
The muscle valve does not work. In a pregnant woman, the uterus expands and puts pressure on the bladder. The pelvic muscles are overloaded and with additional pressure (coughing, sneezing) involuntary release of urine occurs.
Damage to the nerves that control the bladder.

How to eliminate the leakage of urine that occurred during pregnancy?

To eliminate unpleasant symptoms, you must follow the recommendations of doctors.

Urine involuntarily leaks in pregnant women both in the first trimester and in the last. To eliminate this phenomenon, doctors give the following recommendations:

Kegel exercises for the muscles of the vagina are the best helper.
Weight gain should be moderate, body weight presses on the bladder.
If urination occurs every 30 minutes, you need to extend this interval every day.
Avoid constipation during pregnancy so that the internal organs do not create additional pressure on the bladder.
Keep drinking at least 8 glasses of fluid daily.
Avoid coffee, citrus fruits, tomatoes, soft drinks, and alcohol, all of which can irritate the bladder and make urine leakage more difficult to control.
Special pads will help make incontinence more comfortable in public places.
When coughing, straining, when you laugh, try to cross your legs.

Why do you need to do urinary incontinence exercises during pregnancy?

It is not so difficult to control urine with the help of special exercises. The main thing is to follow all the recommendations of the doctor regularly. It is the exercises that are easy to perform at home that are used most often. To practice controlling your urine flow, use a chart or diary where you record the time you urinate and when you leak urine. Such records will give an understanding of when and in what rhythm and “pattern” urine leaks. You can use these entries in the future.

When training the bladder, it is important to "stretch" the intervals of urination. For example, you can plan to go to the toilet no more than once an hour, and stick to this schedule for a long time. Then change your schedule to go to the bathroom every 90 minutes. In the end, change the schedule to every two hours and continue to increase the time interval until you get to 3 or 4 hours between toilet visits.

There are affordable and safe methods to fix the problem.

Another way is to try to delay going to the bathroom for 15 minutes after being prompted. Do this for two weeks and then increase the period to 30 minutes. In some cases, women use drugs to strengthen the muscles in the urethra. Some medicines help reduce an overactive bladder.

Every girl has a moment in her life when she carries a little life in her womb. During 9 months she carefully listens to her body so that the baby is born healthy.

But not everything is so easy and simple, a lot of different problems will overtake a girl during this period of her life. One such problem is urinary incontinence during pregnancy.

The essence of the phenomenon

Urinary incontinence is the process when urine is released spontaneously and cannot be controlled or volitionally controlled.

Most often, this process of incontinence occurs in pregnant women. The peak of activity overtakes the 2nd and 3rd trimester, it even happens that this condition persists and lasts for several more weeks in the postpartum period is a very typical process.

Incontinence during pregnancy occurs when:

In the early stages of bearing a child, urinary incontinence, according to statistics, occurs in 10-15% girls, and in the later stages (in the third trimester), this figure will increase significantly and will be approximately 85-90% from all cases.

The process of urinary incontinence at any stage of pregnancy still requires, since possible deviations of this pathological manifestation cannot be ruled out.

For safety reasons, you should consult a doctor and undergo a medical examination.

There are times when incontinence indicates a disease that has arisen, so it is better to establish the true cause and calm down and exclude unpleasant suspicions. It is important to know how to distinguish urinary incontinence from excretion of amniotic fluid and what to do in this situation.

Even if the process of incontinence is considered the norm, in any case it causes great discomfort, as it cannot be controlled.

Variety of causes and symptoms

There are several types, they are easy to recognize based on some of their characteristic features:

Diagnosis and treatment

When symptoms of urinary incontinence appear in a pregnant woman appoint an examination:

Examination by a gynecologist.
Bakposev urine on the flora.
Ultrasound of the genitourinary system.
Urologist consultation.
Keeping records of urination (number of urination in 24 hours, amount of urine in the 1st serving, number of occurrences of incontinence).

With the help of these studies, the exact cause of the incontinence process is revealed and a pathological etiology is excluded.

I would like to remind you that the process of urinary incontinence during pregnancy is not a disease and no need for treatment.

From the resulting discomfort, the expectant mother will be helped to get rid of simple and safe means. And the difficulties created temporarily and the resulting discomfort are not so terrible, because after all the most important priorities are the health of the baby.

Kegel exercises during pregnancy as a prevention of urinary incontinence and ruptures during childbirth:

Many first signs of pregnancy are known, among which the leading positions, of course, belong to frequent urination, which will later be joined by disturbances in the functioning of the bladder and kidneys. All these are temporary phenomena, although women require some awareness, so we will consider the main causes of urinary incontinence in this article.

The allocation of small portions of urine can accompany the expectant mother during the entire period of gestation. This happens, as a rule, during the tension of the abdominal muscles. Of course, not a single pregnant woman will specifically strain the press, but processes such as sneezing, laughing, running will do it for her.

Why does incontinence occur during pregnancy?

Many women ask themselves this question, because before that they also often laughed, played hard sports and sneezed, but such embarrassments did not happen.

Experts say that you should not worry, since such manifestations are normal and are explained by the weakening of the pelvic muscles,relaxation of the sphincter and bladder walls. Also, the ever-increasing uterus, which compresses the bladder, plays an important role in this. During the last trimester, even a baby can exert pressure on the bladder as a result of kicks on it.

In many ways, the severity of incontinence depends on the size and location of the fetus, as well as the time that has passed since the last pregnancy. So, if fertilization was almost immediately after childbirth, the likelihood of incontinence increases, since the muscles do not have time to recover from the last time.

What to do?

As we already wrote, the release of urine in a woman in an interesting position is a normal phenomenon that disappears some time after childbirth. Special treatment for such manifestations is not required, although a specialist consultation and submission of material for analysis will not be superfluous. It is important to exclude the presence of infection, since discharge can be one of the signs of genitourinary diseases.

If no infections are found, you should take note of some hygiene rules for pregnant women and stop worrying. You need:

use daily pads;
often change linen;
wash several times a day using hypoallergenic natural cosmetics;
abandon lace underwear in favor of special underwear for pregnant women, which is devoid of annoying decor elements and fits snugly to the body.

A few more tips:

1. Reduce the involuntary release of urine when coughing and sneezing, opening the mouth at such times will help. So the pressure on the diaphragm will be less.

2. In no case do not lift weights, as this not only puts pressure on the abdominal muscles, but also makes the whole body tense up, which is extremely dangerous in this position.

3. Start training your perineal muscles now. The Kegel exercise and other similar techniques will do. In general, experts recommend training the muscles of the perineum throughout pregnancy, as this will come in handy during childbirth. The ability to strain and relax them at the right time will make it easier for the baby to be born.

Not a single question that arises during your gestation should be left unattended, since the body of each person is unique and what is not dangerous for some may be the first sign of serious abnormalities for others. Examination and consultation with a doctor about your well-being should be paramount in the event of unclear discharge, pain, etc. to you.

In the life of almost every woman, sooner or later there comes a stage when she can give life to another person. Inside her uterus, a completely new small organism is being formed, which has its own external and internal features, character traits and emotions. This process is accompanied by a pronounced restructuring and adaptation of the mother's body to new conditions. Therefore, pregnancy (especially in the later stages, when the size of the fetus is already extremely large) can cause problems with the excretory system, the most common of which is urinary incontinence.

What is urinary incontinence in the last weeks of expecting a baby

Urinary incontinence is a pathological involuntary release of fluid from the bladder, which can occur both spontaneously and under the influence of external environmental factors. The peculiarity of this disease is that a woman is not able to independently regulate this process due to the weakness of the muscles of the perineum (especially the sphincters).

It is believed that in 90% of patients, the pathology manifests itself in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. This is directly related to the constant increase in the uterus, the fetus, as well as the preparation of the woman's body for the upcoming birth.

The basis of the development of the disease is the weakness of the sphincters

At the 30th and 35th weeks of pregnancy, the most active fetal movements are observed, which can have an undesirable effect on the bladder. At the 38th, 39th and 40th weeks, the woman's body is preparing for the upcoming birth, and the baby's head is tightly adjacent to the entrance to the pelvic cavity, which results in excessive pressure on the muscles of the perineum.

The main causes of the development of the disease in women

Up to 90% of all cases of the disease are associated with a genetic predisposition. It is believed that patients suffering from hereditary connective tissue pathologies may first experience urinary incontinence precisely during the period of expectation of the baby. The provoking factors that cause the appearance of the disease include:

conditions accompanied by a sharp rise in intra-abdominal pressure in the body (sneezing, coughing, hiccups, vomiting, excessive movements of the child);
multiple pregnancy or a large baby weighing more than 4.5 kg (the load on the muscle groups of the perineum increases sharply);
malignant and benign neoplasms;
irrational nutrition with a deficiency of protein, calcium and other vitamin and mineral elements;
infectious and inflammatory diseases of the pelvic organs (cystitis, pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis);
overweight (more than 20 kilograms gained while waiting for the child);
incorrect location of the placenta (children's place) when it fuses with the walls of the bladder;
traumatic injuries of the perineum.

Additional signs of urinary incontinence during pregnancy

The disease develops gradually. Throughout pregnancy, patients experience intermittent discomfort due to the release of a few drops of fluid from the urethra, and over time, more and more urine begins to flow. This may be accompanied by the following symptomatic signs:

headaches and spontaneous dizziness;
drops in blood pressure;
pressing and aching pain in the lumbar region;
nausea and vomiting without connection with eating;
fatigue, weakness, lethargy, general weakness;
sleep disturbances (night awakenings, nightmares, insomnia);
irritation of the opening of the urethra.

In one of my patients, urinary incontinence in the last stages (at 39–40 weeks) was accompanied by intense movements of the baby in the womb. When the first signs of illness appeared, the baby began to push hard, which brought the woman significant discomfort. After the treatment, it was possible to partially get rid of the problem.

Methods for diagnosing urinary incontinence

If you suspect the development of such a pathology, consult a urologist. The doctor will definitely take an anamnesis, and you need to try to remember the approximate time of occurrence of unwanted symptoms of the disease, as well as indicate injuries and other pathologies.

If even before pregnancy you suffered from urinary incontinence or resorted to surgical intervention to correct the disease, be sure to tell your doctor. This will reduce the time for examination and help in identifying pathology.

While working in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, I often encountered the fact that many women who faced manifestations of urinary incontinence were in no hurry to seek help from a doctor. One of the girls in storage regularly used large absorbent pads without the knowledge of the doctor. Only after a direct question from the obstetrician-gynecologist, the patient said that she had been suffering from urinary incontinence for the past few weeks. The doctors conducted the necessary examination and found out that this condition was caused by the course of the inflammatory process in the bladder area. The patient was prescribed a course of therapeutic procedures and antibiotics, against which it was possible to quickly eliminate the undesirable manifestations of the disease.

What methods are used to diagnose urinary incontinence during pregnancy:

Table: Differential diagnosis of urinary incontinence during pregnancy with other diseases

Name of the pathology	Urinary incontinence	Cystitis	Leakage of amniotic fluid	Bladder overactivity
What is the essence of the disease	Violation of the ability of sphincters to retain urine and normal voluntary urination	Inflammatory process in the wall of the bladder, accompanied by its swelling	Damage and violation of the integrity of the fetal bladder in late pregnancy	Constant need to empty the bladder
Main clinical manifestations	spontaneous excretion of urine; discomfort when urinating.	pain, itching and burning when trying to urinate; the appearance of impurities of blood, pus and pathological discharge from the urethra.	copious whitish, yellow or brown discharge; increased symptoms after exercise or stress; signs of oxygen starvation of the fetus (increased motor activity).	frequent urge to urinate; night awakenings; a large amount of fluid secreted by the kidneys.

Video: Elena Malysheva talks about the diagnosis of the disease

How is the disease treated

The treatment of urinary incontinence in late pregnancy is an extremely lengthy process. Usually, treatment takes place on an outpatient basis, if the woman has no other pathology or is not scheduled for a caesarean section. Surgical intervention (installation of stents and supporting meshes) is carried out only after the birth of the child, as it can lead to undesirable consequences for the baby. Most often, doctors prescribe pharmaceutical drugs in certain dosages, adjust the diet of a pregnant woman, and also advise her to pay attention to certain lifestyle features and control her behavior in certain situations. So it is possible to completely or partially correct the unwanted symptoms of urinary incontinence.

The main goals of therapy:

reduction in the severity of discomfort;
prevention of the development of secondary purulent-septic, infectious and skin complications;
normalization of the outflow of urine;
restoration and maintenance of water-salt balance.

Table: pharmaceuticals used to eliminate the manifestations of the disease

The group to which medicines belong	Examples of drugs	Release forms	What effect do they have on the body?
Calming agents	Melissa; Valerian extract.	Tablets, capsules, dragees	I relieve neuropsychic stress, making the body more resistant to the effects of various kinds of stress and unpleasant situations, indirectly stabilize the hormonal background
Vitamin and mineral components	Teravit Pregna; Complivit Trimestrum 3; Fembion.	Coated tablets	Compensate for the necessary substances spent in the mother's body during the process of growth and development of the fetus
Phytotherapeutic preparations	Urolesan; Kanefron-N.	Capsules, oral drops	Normalize urination, partially eliminate inflammation and swelling of the soft tissues of the kidneys, muscles of the perineum, relieve excessive spasm
Medications to strengthen immunity	Interferon alpha;	Suppositories for rectal administration, powder in ampoules	Stimulate the activity of the bone marrow, as a result of which new cellular elements begin to form in it, which are responsible for protecting the body from adverse environmental factors

Photo gallery: drug therapy of the disease during pregnancy

Glycine reduces stress levels Complivit trimester 3 should be taken from the 28th week of pregnancy
Viferon strengthens the immune system

How to properly build a diet for a patient with urinary incontinence in the later stages

A pregnant woman spends much more energy and calories on her usual life activities, since her body works for two. It is extremely important during this period to normalize the amount of incoming proteins, fats and carbohydrates so that they have a ratio of 1:1:4. The daily calorie content should not exceed 3500 units, as this can lead to a set of overweight.

Keep track of the amount of liquid you drink. You should not limit yourself to drinking, but too much thirst can be a sign of the development of undesirable consequences of the disease. Doctors recommend consuming about 1.5-2 liters per day.

What to include in your diet:

Lean meat or fish. Every day it is worth eating about 200 grams of chicken, beef, pork, pollock or pink salmon. Animal protein is more easily absorbed by the body and is involved in the construction of new cells and tissues.
Vegetables and fruits. Apples, spinach and parsley are the best sources of iron, while bananas, oranges, tangerines, carrots and beets, legumes and peas are indispensable stores of many vitamins and minerals. Vegetables and fruits should be consumed fresh or stewed so that they retain as many healthy proteins as possible.
Dairy products. Cottage cheese, kefir, yogurt without additives, fermented baked milk and cheese curds are sources of calcium, which is involved in the reduction of muscle tissue. For this reason, doctors recommend consuming at least 250 grams of such products daily.

Photo gallery: healthy food

Vegetables and fruits are rich in vitamins Fish contains essential amino acids Dairy products are a source of calcium

Folk remedies to combat pathology

If in the near future you will not be able to visit a doctor, it is acceptable to use recipes based on medicinal plants, herbs and berries. Many of them have a pronounced effect and allow you to cope with unwanted manifestations of the disease. Remember that such treatment helps only at first: subsequently, it is necessary to connect pharmaceutical agents or eliminate the problem surgically.

Some plants and herbs can harm the body of the mother and baby, provoke a premature onset of labor, or cause allergic reactions. That is why doctors recommend taking such therapy with caution and always keep Claritin or Zodak on hand (to get rid of allergy symptoms and prevent its progression). List of the most basic drugs prohibited during pregnancy:

liquorice root;
yarrow;
chokeberry;
bird mountaineer;
eleutherococcus;
hop;
nutmeg.

What prescriptions can be used to treat urinary incontinence:

Mix 10 grams of calendula with chamomile in the same amount, brew in a glass of boiling water, cover with a plate. In the morning of the next day, remove the flowers with a sieve and drink the resulting product 10 minutes before breakfast. Chamomile and calendula are natural antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agents that allow you to get rid of the unpleasant manifestations of the disease. This method must be used daily for several months.
Pour 20 grams of dry crushed plantain with a glass of boiling water. After cooling, soak a cotton pad or gauze in the resulting solution, and then gently wipe the opening of the urethra and the vestibule of the vagina. This will remove impurities and microbes, as well as protect the body from the development of infections of the excretory system. You need to use the product at least twice a day.
Mix 30 grams of cranberries with the same amount of blackberries and honeysuckle (you can take fresh or frozen berries). Place them in a pot with 2 liters of boiling water and boil for half an hour. After cooling, add 10 drops of lemon juice, as well as sugar or honey to taste. Drink 1 glass after each meal. This combination of berries helps to cleanse the body and allows you to remove various toxins with urine. This method should be used once a week.

Photo gallery: treatment of the disease with natural remedies at home

Chamomile relieves inflammation Plantain has a healing effect Cowberry is rich in vitamin C

Lifestyle of pregnant patients with urinary incontinence

While waiting for a child, a woman must follow certain rules that will help to bear a healthy baby and avoid the undesirable consequences of various diseases. Patients suffering from urinary incontinence need to pay much more attention to their lifestyle. To protect yourself from complications, you need to give up some habits.

independently massage the lumbar and suprapubic region (this way you can provoke a deterioration in the condition);
apply a heating pad to reduce discomfort (this is only permissible if there is no 100% inflammatory process);
visit baths or saunas (a temperature drop can provoke an increase in blood pressure and fainting);
abuse herbal remedies that increase the formation of urine;
engage in heavy physical exercise.

To reduce the load on the lower back and perineal muscles, starting from the 2nd trimester, all pregnant women should wear bandages. They help to evenly distribute weight, avoiding pressure on individual organs and tissues. Thus, the likelihood of developing the disease is reduced.

Bandage for pregnant women evenly distributes the load

Prognosis for Recovery and Undesirable Consequences

Up to 80% of all cases of urinary incontinence go away on their own within 2-3 months after the end of pregnancy. This is due to the gradual restoration of normal intra-abdominal pressure, a decrease in the volume of the uterus and a decrease in the load on the muscle groups of the perineum. In 20% of patients with impaired elasticity and contractility of the sphincters, surgery is necessary. The following factors largely influence the likelihood of developing unwanted complications during pregnancy:

the age of the victim;
the number of children and the mechanism of childbirth (natural or through caesarean section);
the presence of other diseases of various organs and systems.

One of the patients under my supervision decided to completely stop taking pharmaceuticals and any medical intervention. To get rid of the symptoms of the disease, she used absorbent urological pads, which were not changed regularly, but only once a day. This led to the development of an infectious lesion of the urethra, bladder and uterus. Pathogenic microorganisms also penetrated the transplacental barrier to the baby, as a result of which doctors had to perform an emergency caesarean section to save the baby from infection. The boy spent about a month in the department for premature newborns, where doctors managed to stabilize his condition. If the woman had not refused medical care from the very beginning, these complications would have been avoided.

Undesirable consequences of the disease:

the appearance of a fungal infection of the external genital organs (thrush);
the occurrence of an inflammatory process of the urethra (urethritis), bladder (cystitis), pyelocaliceal system of the kidneys (pyelonephritis);
rash on the inner and outer thighs;
redness and irritation of the opening of the urethra;
premature detachment of a normally located placenta;
intrauterine infection of the fetus;
the birth of a premature baby, lagging behind in development from peers.

Photo gallery: what complications may occur in patients

Such a baby needs several weeks or even months to spend in the department for premature birth Premature abruption of the placenta can threaten the life and health of the baby Pyelonephritis is an inflammatory process in the pyelocaliceal system

How to protect yourself from developing urinary incontinence in the later stages

Spontaneous excretion of urine leads to the formation of adverse consequences for the woman's body and increases the risk of the birth of a premature baby with anomalies. That is why it is so important to protect future mothers from the formation of such a pathology. Obstetricians and gynecologists believe that it is necessary to plan a pregnancy at least six months in advance, and all this time to intensively prepare the body.

When I was doing an internship in an Israeli hospital, I had the opportunity to participate in a study on the prevention of urinary incontinence in late pregnancy. Local doctors believed that eating a diet rich in protein and calcium, as well as doing strengthening exercises, would help patients with a predisposition to avoid developing pathology. For this, 2 groups of patients were selected: the first group followed the recommendations for all 9 months, while the second led a normal life. By the end of the 7th month, it turned out that those pregnant women who followed the diet and exercised regularly did not develop urinary incontinence. Some other girls with a predisposition to such an ailment, who did not adhere to the recommendations, had clear signs of the development of the disease. Doctors were able to help them too by adjusting the diet and prescribing a surgical intervention immediately after the end of the pregnancy.

Rules for individual prevention of the development of the disease:

Try not to lift heavy during pregnancy. Excessive stress on the lower back, lower back and spine can damage the muscles of the perineum, as well as adversely affect the condition of the growing baby.
Lead an active lifestyle. Regular walks in the fresh air, light sports contribute to the normalization of blood circulation in the lower half of the body. For the same reason, many doctors recommend attending therapeutic exercises for pregnant women starting from the 1st trimester. Together with a trainer, you will be able to choose the optimal types of loads for yourself and implement them in various forms (walking, swimming, aqua aerobics, dancing, fitball classes). Remember that it is worth giving up weightlifting, as this can lead to disruption of the sphincters.
Fitball exercises help strengthen muscles and prepare for childbirth
Do not take pharmaceuticals without the advice of a specialist. Many medications used outside of pregnancy, during the period of expectation of a child, can cause serious harm to the mother's body. This is especially true of diuretics, the excessive intake of which provokes a deficiency of the ions necessary for muscle contraction (potassium, magnesium, calcium), and also reduces the tone of the muscles of the sphincters.
During the day, watch your hygiene to avoid the addition of an inflammatory infection. After each visit to the toilet, use paper or wet wipes to prevent bacteria from growing. It is better to refuse daily pads in the absence of abundant secretions: they can become a source of the spread of pathogenic microflora. It is necessary to take a shower in the morning and in the evening using soap or gel for intimate hygiene.
Means for intimate hygiene, unlike usual soap, does not kill beneficial microflora
Control your weight gain. Pregnancy is far from a reason to indulge in all your bad eating habits. The use of high-carbohydrate foods (sweets, chips) can lead to the appearance of extra pounds. Combined with the mass of the enlarged uterus, fetus, placenta, and amniotic fluid, this puts significant pressure on the sphincters. That is why it is worth making sure that the weight gain does not exceed 3-4 kg per trimester.

Video: exercises to strengthen the muscles of the perineum and the walls of the vagina while waiting for the baby

Spontaneous excretion of urine is a shameful and uncomfortable problem for every woman. That is why many expectant mothers, in anticipation of the baby, are in no hurry to consult a doctor, trying to fight the disease at home. Often this is what causes the development of many undesirable complications that can harm the health of not only the mother, but also the child. Doctors strongly recommend to discard constraint and, with the development of the first signs of pathology, seek advice. Thus, you can quickly and effectively get rid of a delicate problem.

Pregnancy is a unique period, full of pleasant expectations and little troubles. In addition to joyful impressions, the expectant mother will experience a number of unpleasant emotions from dizziness and nausea, loss of appetite.

One of the unpleasant conditionsurinary incontinence during pregnancy, which can begin as early as the first trimester, from about 14 weeks. Usually incontinence during pregnancyis not considered a pathology, but there are exceptions, so if symptoms appear, you should consult a doctor.

It must be understood that incontinence urine in women and leakage are different pathologies. The first - without the urge to urinatein pregnant womensome urine is excreted. The second - a couple of drops of urine is released after a short period after urination.

Both conditions make life difficult for pregnant women. girls , impose restrictions on the duration and frequency of walks, social activity. Women have to use pads, often change underwear and get into embarrassing situations, which spoils all the charm of this magical period. To try and eliminateurinary incontinence during pregnancyit is necessary to determine what type the pathology belongs to:

enuresis against the backdrop of stress. It is observed with a slight increase in pressure in the peritoneum. Even small physical exertion leads to tension in the peritoneum, which provokes involuntary excretion of urine. Incontinence may appear when coughing and laughing, when sneezing and temperature changes (when a woman leaves a warm room outside in winter);
urge incontinence. The condition is triggered by an overactive bladder. Provoke spasms in the m eye the bubble and the desire to empty it can be the sounds of pouring water or the sound of raindrops on the glass;
leakage - the release of a very small amount of fluid, just a couple of drops of urine. If the tone of the bladder is increased, such leakage becomes chronic, and the volume of urine released gradually increases.

Why does pregnancy incontinence occur?

Many women have to deal with incontinence alreadyin early pregnancy, such a condition for some even serves as a signal for the conception of a child (usually in the second and subsequent pregnancies).

The reason for this condition, if earlier no leakage was observed, there may be hormonal changes - the ovaries of a pregnant woman produce a lot of progesterone, which is responsible for the elasticity of the organs in the small pelvis.

At the same time, the muscles are stretched, the tone of the bladder increases.

In the second period andat a later date(35 weeks or more) urinary incontinence in pregnancycaused by the following factors:

the child in the womb grows, the volume of the uterus increases, which puts pressure on the bladder. Due to this pressure, the functions of the bladder are limited, urine does not all flow out during urination, so a few drops may be released after going to the toilet;
the changed hormonal background stimulates an increase in the volume of fluid in the body of a pregnant woman, the kidneys do not have time to remove it;
enlarged uterus to the last period presses on the urethra, which leads to the release of small portions of urine very often. If we add to this the high tone of the walls of the bladder, this is fraught with arbitrary urination;
incontinence during the time of the last trimester is provoked by the active movements of the baby, which is already quite large and can put a lot of pressure on the mother's bladder. This leads to leakage of urine.

In addition to the factors listed above, whichpregnancy urinary incontinencemay be caused by the presence of certain diseases:

syphilis, gonorrhea;
exacerbation of chronic ailments (pyelonephritis, renal failure);
cystitis and other inflammatory processes in the organs of the urinary system.

Other causes of incontinence are as follows:

anomalies in the structure of organs in the pelvis;
physical condition of the pregnant woman;
the size of the child;
if little time has passed since the previous pregnancy;
excessive weight gain of the expectant mother during pregnancy.

Does incontinence go away after childbirth?

If a woman suffered from incontinence during pregnancy, constantly bought pads and infringed on her interests, it is logical that she expects to get rid of the pathology after delivery.

It also happens that childbirth provokes urinary incontinence in the future. The child, passing through the birth canal, violates the anatomy of the muscles of the pelvis, bladder, urethra:

the muscles responsible for the excretion of urine are compressed;
blood circulation in the organs in the pelvis is disturbed;
reduced transmission of impulses from the bladder to the brain.

Difficult labor with multiple ruptures also causes temporary loss of sensation and involuntary urination.

Do I need to see a doctor

To be calm for her and children's health, a woman should definitely consult a doctor about any changes in the body. The gynecologist will conduct a standard examination, listen to complaints, and, based on the condition of the mucous membranes, may suspect the presence of pathologies.

If necessary, a general analysis of urine, blood is prescribed. If the results show an elevated level of white blood cells, this may indicate diseases of the genitourinary system. If an infection is suspected, a smear is taken to identify pathogens, other diagnostic measures may be prescribed:

Ultrasound of the organs in the pelvis without a contrast agent;
CT scan of the urinary tract;
MRI in the 2nd and 3rd trimester.

Careful diagnosis is needed to exclude recurrence of chronic pathologies.

How to eliminate urinary incontinence in a pregnant woman

Treatment of pathology is carried out after establishing the cause. In the presence of viruses or bacteria in urine tests, sparing antimicrobials are prescribed, since not all medicines are allowed for pregnant women.

If the doctor detects a weakened immune system in a pregnant woman, she prescribes a complex of vitamins, specially designed for women in position. Naturally caused incontinence does not require medication, and to help a pregnant woman, a doctor may recommend:

wear a support bandage and special underwear so that the skin does not stretch and the bladder does not squeeze;
at night, you need to limit the amount of fluid you drink. It is better to eat an apple shortly before bedtime or drink half a glass of kefir;
eat less fatty and smoked, so as not to provoke thirst;
drink a weak decoction of wild rose and dill infusion. It is better not to try other herbal decoctions, because during pregnancy, herbs can negatively affect the fetus. All procedures and medicines can be tried only after the approval of the attending physician.

If a pregnant woman has leakage in the later stages, an urgent need to contact a gynecologist to determine what constitutes leakage: urine or amniotic fluid. It is impossible for women in a position to be very worried, therefore, one should not invent non-existent diseases.

Questions should be addressed in the doctor's office. The specialist will provide comprehensive support - explain the cause of the pathology, give recommendations on how to reduce its manifestations, answer questions of interest in full.