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Urinary incontinence caused by pregnancy is common and usually managed without use of medicines. If you had bladder problems before pregnancy and were already taking a medicine, your doctor might advise that your treatment can be continued to ensure you stay well.
What is urinary incontinence?
Urinary incontinence is accidental leakage of urine (pee). It can be accompanied by frequency (needing to pee more than usual) and urgency (feeling like you might wet yourself). These symptoms are common during pregnancy due to hormonal changes and pressure on the bladder from your baby. However, urinary incontinence and other bladder problems can also be unrelated to pregnancy. For example, some women have problems with the nerves that signal when the bladder feels full.
How can urinary incontinence be treated during pregnancy?
Urinary incontinence that occurs due to pregnancy is not usually treated with medication.
Urinary incontinence due to a problem with your bladder is sometimes treated with medicines such as oxybutynin (Ditropan®, Kentera®, Velariq®), tolterodine (Detrusitol®, Mariosea®, Neditol®, Tolthen®, Tolterma®) or darifenacin (Emselex®).
Benefits
What are the benefits of using medicines for urinary incontinence during pregnancy?
Some women find bladder problems very troublesome. Symptoms can affect sleep and prevent you from carrying out your normal activities. Medicines to treat urinary incontinence can therefore greatly improve your quality of life.
Risks
Are there any risks of using medicines for urinary incontinence during pregnancy?
Oxybutynin use in pregnancy has been studied in around 450 women. The available information does not suggest it harms the baby, but more information needs to be collected to confirm this. There is no good pregnancy safety information on any of the other drugs used for urinary incontinence and so their effects are unknown.
If you are taking a medicine to treat bladder problems and are pregnant or planning to get pregnant, please contact your doctor so that your medication can be checked and altered if necessary.
Alternatives
Are there any alternatives to taking medicines for urinary incontinence in pregnancy?
Possibly. Some women may choose to stop treatment and manage urinary incontinence during pregnancy using non-drug methods.
However, if your bladder symptoms greatly affect your quality of life and stop you from doing your normal activities, staying on medication during pregnancy may be an option. Your doctor will help you to weigh up the possible risks and benefits of continuing with drug treatment.
No treatment
What if I prefer not to take medicines for urinary incontinence in pregnancy?
Urinary incontinence medicines can usually be stopped during pregnancy if preferred. Your doctor will be able to advise you about this.
Will I or my baby need extra monitoring?
In the UK, all women will be offered a very detailed scan at around 20 weeks of pregnancy as part of their routine antenatal care. No additional monitoring of your baby is required if you use a medicine for urinary incontinence.
Are there any risks to my baby if the father has taken a medicine for urinary incontinence?
There is no evidence that medicines for urinary incontinence used by the father can harm your baby through effects on the sperm.
Who can I talk to if I have questions?
If you have any questions about the information in this leaflet, please discuss them with your health care provider. They can access more detailed medical and scientific information from www.uktis.org.