The effect of endometriosis on anxiety and the Quality of Life in women.

This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 420 women. The data were collected by using the "Descriptive Information Form", "SF-36 Quality of Life Scale (QoLS)" and "State Anxiety Inventory (SAI)". The data were evaluated with Mann-Whitney U-test, Student's t-test and Pearson correlation analysis. Endometriosis had been diagnosed in 12.1% of the women. The score medians obtained by the women with endometriosis from the pain and physical role difficulty sub-dimensions of the QoLS were found to be significantly lower than those obtained by women without endometriosis. The presence of endometriosis was found not to affect the state anxiety in the women. A weak or moderately significant negative relationship was found between the number and onset time of the symptoms and certain sub-dimensions of the QoLS in the women with endometriosis.

The effect of genital hygiene behaviors and vaginal douching of pregnant women on preterm labor.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of genital hygiene behavior (GHB) and vaginal douching (VD) of pregnant women on preterm labor (PTL). METHODS: This study, which was conducted with 365 pregnant women, is a cross-sectional study. Data were collected using a questionnaire and the Genital Hygiene Behavior Inventory (GHBI) was applied. RESULTS: The ratios of PTL diagnosis and VD practice, and mean GHBI scores of the pregnant women were 35.1%, 9.6%, and 64.42 ± 10.44, respectively. The prevalence of receiving a diagnosis of PTL was significantly higher in those who changed their underwear two to three times a week, took baths while sitting, cleansed their perineum with water using their hands, removed pubic hair at intervals of 2 months or longer, and performed VD. It was found that poor GHB and VD practices increased the rate of PTL and, in particular, VD was found to increase the risk of PTL around eight-fold. CONCLUSION: These results can help pregnant women to understand the relationship between genital hygiene and PTL and show the importance of being educated by health professionals about this issue.

Exposure of Pregnant Women to Intimate Partner Violence during the Pandemic in Turkey and Influencing Factors.

PURPOSE: This research was conducted to determine the exposure of pregnant women to intimate partner violence (IPV) during the Covid-19 pandemic and its influencing factors. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: This study included 456 pregnant women. The "Pregnant Information Form" and "Intimate Partner Violence During Pregnancy Questionnaire" were used to collect data. FINDINGS: Exposure frequency to IPV during the pandemic and curfews were 44.1% and 43.9%, respectively. A significant relationship was found between exposure to IPV and the partner having wage-earning employment, marital relationship during Covid-19, the effect of the pandemic on spousal relationships, and gravida. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of IPV in pregnant women during and after the pandemic did not change significantly from IPV in pregnant women before the pandemic. CLINICAL EVIDENCE: To prevent and reduce partner violence during pregnancy, there is a need to evaluate IPV among women who apply for routine pregnancy examinations.

The effects of gestational diabetes on lower urinary tract symptoms of pregnant women: a case-control study.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are common health problems in pregnant women. The aim of this case-control study was to evaluate the effects of GDM on LUTS in pregnant women. This study was conducted with 44 pregnant women diagnosed with GDM and 44 pregnant without GDM. Patients with GDM had significantly lower likelihood of experiencing urgency (7.069-fold lower likelihood); whereas they had significantly greater likelihoods for urinary incontinence (UI) during sexual intercourse (OR: 0.185; 5.4-fold higher), need for clothing change due to UI (OR: 0.268; 3.7-fold higher), and adverse effects on daily life due to UI (OR: 0.338; 2.9-fold higher) compared to women without GDM (p < .05 for all). Although pregnant women with GDM appear to have a lower likelihood of urgency, this may be associated with the adverse effects of GDM since the likelihoods for UI-related outcomes were increased and quality of life was reduced among pregnant women with GDM compared to those without GDM.Impact statementWhat is already known on this subject? Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are very common among pregnant women, and negatively affect social, sexual and working life. There are many risk factors that affect the development of LUTS in pregnant women. It is stated that gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) may be a predisposing factor in the development of LUTS in women.What do the results of this study add? Women with GDM experienced storage symptoms at a lower frequency (especially urgency) compared to the control group. In addition, we determined worse quality of life among women with GDM who experienced a greater frequency of urinary incontinence.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? It may be beneficial to provide training on the prevention and management of LUTS to all pregnant women, especially women with GDM, and to increase the sensitivity of health professionals on the subject.

Relationship between menopausal symptoms and sleep quality in women during the climacteric period: a cross-sectional study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the menopausal symptoms and sleep quality in women in the climacteric period. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 383 women aged 40-64 years at the Cancer Early Diagnosis Screening and Training Centre. The data were collected with the questionnaire form, Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). The sleep quality was poor in 77.8% of the women in the study. A significant relationship was found between PSQI scores and the somatic and psychological subscale scores of the MRS in the presence of other variables that could affect sleep according to multiple linear regression analysis (p < .05). We recommend training and consulting services provided by health care professionals and further experimental studies on the subject to decrease the negative effects of the somatic and psychological symptoms found to worsen sleep quality in women in the climacteric period. IMPACT STATEMENTWhat is already known on this subject? Sleep problems are a common health problem in women in the climacteric period.What do the results of this study add? The most common menopausal symptoms were joint and muscle problems, physical and emotional fatigue, nervousness, hot flushes, unhappiness, anxiety, and sleep problems in order of frequency. There was a weak positive significant relationship between the total PSQI score and the psychological and urogenital subscale scores of the MRS, in addition to a moderate positive significant relationship between the total PSQI scores and the total and somatic subscale scores of the MRS.What are the implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? We believe effective management of the somatic and psychological symptoms during the climacteric period with health care staff providing training and consultancy services to the women aimed at decreasing the symptoms according to evidence-based procedures could help improve the sleep quality. Conducting multicenter studies with a larger subject group where the effect of menopausal symptoms on sleep quality in addition to that of multifactorial causes are evaluated in depth is recommended.

Noncyclical and cyclical mastalgia in Turkish women: Prevalence, risk factors, health-care seeking and quality of life.

Our aim in this study was to determine the prevalence of cyclical and noncyclical mastalgia, its underlying risk factors, and to examine its effect on women's quality of life. This study was conducted on 415 women, among whom the prevalence of mastalgia was found as 20.7%. It was found that experiencing intense stress, daily coffee and chocolate consumption, breast surgery history and the menstruation pattern were risk factors associated with mastalgia. Some domains of quality of life were found to be negatively affected in women who had mastalgia. Awareness among women about the risk factors of mastodynia and lifestyle changes is needed to improve mastalgia management.

Prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms in nurses and civil servants working at a hospital: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are common in women and can interrupt daily living activities of the individuals. The study aimed at determining the LUTS prevalence and the influencing factors in nurses and civil servants working at a hospital. METHODS: This cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted with 158 female nurses and 105 female civil servants. The data were obtained with a data collection form and the Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms-Short Form. RESULTS: This paper exposes that the prevalence of at least one LUTS was 94.2% in nurses and 97.1% in civil servants. The most common LUTS symptoms of nurses and civil servants were urgency (60.1% nurses, 81.9% civil servants) and urge incontinence (59.5% nurses, 81.9% civil servants). Nurses (60.8%) expressed significantly higher rates of having inadequate time going to the toilet due to their work conditions compared to the civil servants (41.9%) (p<0.05). BFLUTS-SF scores in terms of age, BMI, parity, having cesarean and vaginal delivery and urinary incontinence in their previous pregnancies were compared between two groups, statistically significant differences were found (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: Workplace conditions of the health workers should be reorganizing to have healthy urinary habits for preventing them from the development of LUTS.

Comparison of the breastfeeding outcomes and self-efficacy in the early postpartum period of women who had given birth by cesarean under general or spinal anesthesia.

OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to compare the breastfeeding outcomes and self-efficacy in the early postpartum period of women who had given birth by cesarean under general (GA) or spinal anesthesia (SA). METHODS: This descriptive study was conducted with 190 women who had given birth under GA and SA at a training and research hospital. The data of the study were collected with the "Data Collection Form", "LATCH Breastfeeding Assessment Tool" and the "Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale- Short Form (BSES-SF)". RESULTS: The time to first breastfeeding of the newborns was 78.71 ± 126.9 min and 23.7% of the women breastfed within 30 min. Those who gave birth under SA breastfed their newborn infants statistically significantly earlier (p < .05). However, there was no statistical difference between women giving birth by cesarean under GA and SA and their score medians from the LATCH or the BSES-SF (p > .05). CONCLUSION: The percentage of women breastfeeding their infants within the first half hour and the self-efficacy and success rate was higher among women who gave birth under SA than those who had cesarean under GA. However, breastfeeding behaviors were not at the desired level in either group. Health care professionals should therefore support women who undergo a cesarean and especially those who give birth under GA to increase their breastfeeding success and self-efficacy.

Sleep Quality and Related Factors in Turkish High School Adolescents.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to determine the sleep quality and related risk factors in high school adolescents. DESIGNS AND METHODS: This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted with 400 adolescents. Data collection was with the 'Data Collection Form' and the 'Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index' (PSQI). RESULTS: More than half of the adolescents had poor sleep quality (53.0%). PSQI scores were found to be associated with age, sex, poor school success, chronic disease, exposure to domestic verbal violence, inability to participate in sports, and feeling tired. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Adolescents should be supported by educational and informative programs about sleep hygiene.

Striae gravidarum in primigravid women: prevalence, risk factors, prevention interventions and body image.

Objectives: The study was conducted to identify the striae gravidarum (SG) prevalence in primigravid women, the influencing risk factors and the preventive interventions, and also to investigate its effect on body perception.Methods: This cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted on 421 primigravid women who presented to a training and research hospital to have a nonstress test during routine follow-up. The data of the study were collected with the "Data Collection Form", "Fitzpatrick Skin Type Scale", "Davey's Severity Score of Striae Gravidarum" and "Body Image Scale (BIS)".Results: SG was found to be present in 67% of primigravid women. According to the results of the logistic regression analysis conducted, the presence of social security, sleep duration, BMI in pregnancy, and a history of striae in the mother and/or sister were found to be associated with SG presence (p < 0.05). A very weak positive relationship was found between SG severity in primigravidas and the score obtained from BIS (p < 0.05). The body perception of the pregnant women worsened in the presence of SG and a very weak negative relationship was found between the number of interventions used for prevention and the BIS score (p < 0.05).Conclusion: SG is seen in 7 of 10 women and affects body perception negatively. We recommend providing training and consultancy services both before and during pregnancy on the interventions and lifestyle changes required and topical preparations that can be used to prevent or decrease the severity of SG while taking the risk factors causing the problem into account.

Prevalence of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Pregnant Adolescents and the Influencing Factors.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and associated risk factors in pregnant adolescents. DESIGN: Descriptive study. SETTING: The obstetrics and gynecology outpatient departments of a training and research hospital in Turkey. PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred six pregnant adolescents younger than the age of 19 years. INTERVENTIONS: None. Questionnaire-based data and the Bristol Female Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms-Short Form (BFLUTS-SF) were collected from pregnant adolescents. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Comparisons were made with independent samples t test, one-way analysis of variance, Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis tests, and linear regression for the analysis of the potential risk factors. RESULTS: The prevalence of at least 1 of the LUTS in pregnant adolescents was 78.6% (162/206). The prevalence of storage symptoms was more than those of urinary incontinence and voiding symptoms. Among LUTS, the prevalence of nocturia, urgency, frequency, bladder pain, and urinary incontinence was 59.3% (122/206), 54.4% (112/206), 39.3% (81/206), 37.4% (77/206), and 27.2% (56/206), respectively. Of pregnant adolescents with LUTS, 30.2% (49/162) of pregnant adolescents with LUTS reported seeking treatment for LUTS in this study. The total median scores from the BFLUTS-SF increased with gestational week, but no statistical significant difference was identified (P > .05). According to the results of the linear regression analysis, daily coffee consumption, smoking, chronic coughing, constipation, and urinary tract infection history were found to be associated with the total mean score on the BFLUTS-SF in pregnant adolescents. CONCLUSION: LUTS were found to be common among pregnant adolescents, with storage symptoms being the most frequently reported. Prenatal education could increase the number of adolescents who seek treatment, thereby improving the clinical course of LUTS.

The effect of knowledge and health beliefs about colorectal cancer on screening behaviour.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of the knowledge and health beliefs of individuals about colorectal cancer on their screening behaviour. BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer ranks third among the most common cancers both worldwide and in Turkey. Colorectal cancer plays an important role in cancer mortality but can be prevented by promoting healthy behaviour and participation in early screening programmes. DESIGN: This descriptive study was completed with 114 women and 121 men. METHODS: The study data were collected using the 'Data collection form' and 'Health Belief Model Scale for Protection from Colorectal Cancer'. Potential risk factors were investigated using logistic regression analyses. The AGREE checklist was completed. RESULTS: The colorectal cancer screening tests were known by 23.0% of the subjects and 17% had undergone one of these tests. The score medians obtained from the confidence-benefit subscale of Health Belief Model Scale for Protection from Colorectal Cancer were found to be significantly higher in those who had undergone colorectal cancer screening. Logistic regression analysis revealed that having knowledge of the relevant tests was associated with undergoing colorectal cancer screening. CONCLUSIONS: Having knowledge on colorectal cancer screening tests increases the relevant confidence-benefit perception regarding the tests and the behaviour of participating in screening programmes. Regular training on colorectal cancer and early diagnosis should therefore be provided by healthcare professionals to both women and men aged 50-70 years to increase the rate of undergoing early screening tests. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Increasing the rate of early screening is among the responsibilities of health workers working in primary health centres. Therefore, problems that prevent individuals from participating in these programmes need to be identified. In this way, health workers will develop suggestions and initiatives that change the individual's health beliefs and increase motivation.

The prevalence and impacts heavy menstrual bleeding on anemia, fatigue and quality of life in women of reproductive age.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence and impacts of heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB) on anemia, fatigue, and the quality of life (QoL) in women of reproductive age. METHODS: This study was conducted among 306 women of reproductive age who presented at the internal medicine outpatient departments of the training and research hospital of a university. The data of the study were collected by the "Data collection form", "SF-36 Quality of Life Scale (SF-36 QoLS)" and "Brief Fatigue Inventory (BFI)". RESULTS: The prevalence of HMB in women of reproductive age was 37.9%. The ferritin level and physical functions were found to decrease significantly as the duration of menstruation increased (p<0.05). Besides, a positive but very weak relationship was found between the menstruation duration and the subdimensions of the global BFI and the general health perception subscale of the SF-36 QoLS (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: It was determined that HMB is common and has negative effects on anemia, fatigue and some subdimensions of the QoL. Regular screening for HMB that may not be expressed by many women may therefore be useful in preventing and resolving the health problems that it will cause.

The Effect of Education on the Early Diagnosis of Breast and Cervix Cancer on the Women's Attitudes and Behaviors Regarding Participating in Screening Programs.

The objective of this paper was to define the effect of education on the early diagnosis of breast and cervix cancer on the women's attitudes and behaviors regarding participating in Cancer Early Diagnosis, Screening and Training Centers-CEDSTC screening programs. This semi-experimental study was completed with 342 women. The data were collected with forms "Champion's Health Belief Model Scale Breast Cancer-HBMSBC" and "Health Belief Model Scale for Cervical Cancer and the Pap Smear Test-HBMSCCPST." When the women's health beliefs before and after 6 months of the education about the early diagnosis of breast and cervical cancers are considered, it is seen that the HBMSBC subscales health motivation, breast self-examination (BSE), and evasion to mammography (MMG) decreased and BSE self-efficacy and MMG benefit attitudes increased and HBMSCCPST subscales pap smear benefit attitudes increased and evasion to pap smear attitude decreased (p < 0.05). Six months after the education, 28.4% of the women had undergone MMG, 69.9% had performed BSE, and 33.6% had undergone a pap smear test. Education regarding early diagnosis of breast and cervix cancer was found to have positive effects on the health behaviors of the women related to BSE, MMG, and pap smear tests. The women require professional education program for increasing their attitudes and behaviors for CEDSTC screening programs. We suggest regularly providing education to increase participation in early screening programs.

Quality of life in climacteric Turkish women with urinary incontinence.

Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common health problem and negatively affects the quality of life of women who are afflicted. The aim of the study is to explore the prevalence and risk factors of UI among climacteric Turkish women and to examine the effects of UI on their quality of life. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 258 women aged 40-64 years who visited the outpatient clinic in Ankara, Turkey, between 15 June 2012 and 15 January 2013. The data were collected using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form and the Incontinence Quality of Life Questionnaire. This paper reveals that the overall prevalence of UI was 45.3%. Stress UI, mixed UI, and urge UI were reported by 54.7%, 22.2%, and 10.3% of the subjects, respectively. The proportion of women suffering from UI who seek medical treatment was low despite mild or moderate negative effect impacts on their quality of life. Increasing women's awareness of UI and protective measures is essential, and standard UI assessment should be added to all patient examinations.

Adherence to diet and fluid restriction of individuals on hemodialysis treatment and affecting factors in Turkey.

AIM: This study was conducted to determine adherence to diet and fluid restriction in hemodialysis-treated individuals and the affecting factors in Turkey. METHODS: This descriptive study was conducted between 15 October 2010 and 15 January 2011 in subjects who voluntarily agreed to participate in the study from three dialysis centers in a city located in the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey. One hundred and twenty-one individuals treated with hemodialysis made up the study sample. The data were collected using a questionnaire consisting of 41 questions and the Dialysis Diet and Fluid Non-adherence Questionnaire. The data were evaluated with percentage, median, Mann-Whitney U-test, Kruskal-Wallis test, Student's t-test in independent samples and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The authors found that 98.3% of the individuals experienced non-adherence to diet and 95.0% with fluid restriction. The authors found a weak and negative relationship between calcium levels and non-adherence to fluid restriction, a weak relationship between phosphorus levels and diet non-adherence frequency and degree and the fluid non-adherence frequency scores, and a moderate positive relationship between phosphorus levels and fluid restriction non-adherence degree scores (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Based on these results, regular training and information regarding diet and fluid restriction must be provided to individuals aged 21-35 years with no one in the family to help with their care, those who consumed salted food, or had interdialytic weight gain of 4.5 kg or more.

Role of pelvic floor muscle exercises in the prevention of stress urinary incontinence during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the role of pelvic floor muscle exercises (PFME) in the prevention of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) during pregnancy and the postpartum period. METHODS: A total of 102 women was included in the study. Data, collected through forms, included characteristics of the women, follow-up data during the pregnancy and postpartum period and a three-day urinary diary. Both groups were evaluated in terms of SUI at the 14th-20th, 28th and 32nd weeks of gestation and at 12 weeks postpartum. RESULTS: As shown by the pad test, SUI developed in 5.8, 17.3 and 1.9% of the subjects in the intervention group at the 28th and 32nd gestational week and the 12th postpartum week, respectively. The relevant ratios in the control group were 30, 48 and 18%, respectively. A statistically significant difference was found between the intervention and control groups in terms of SUI development at the 28th and 32nd weeks of gestation and the 12th postpartum week (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: PFME are effective for prevention of SUI development during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. Health care providers are therefore recommended to provide education and counseling to pregnant women about SUI prevention.

Urinary incontinence among Turkish women: an outpatient study of prevalence, risk factors, and quality of life.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and potential risk factors associated with urinary incontinence (UI) in women and to assess its impact on quality of life (QOL). DESIGN: We undertook a cross-sectional study based on interviews, using a structured questionnaire. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Two hundred eighty-eight women, aged 19 years and older, from gynecology outpatient clinics attached to a university hospital in Ankara, Turkey, were interviewed. INSTRUMENTS: Data were collected via a Turkish version of the international consultation on incontinence questionnaire short form (ICIQ-SF) and the Wagner's quality of life scale. METHODS: Data were collected by face-to-face interviews with subjects and took approximately 30 minutes to complete. Potential risk factors were analyzed using logistic regression. RESULTS: The prevalence of UI was 31.9%. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the number of pregnancies (odds ratio [OR] = 0.53, 95% CI: 0.28-0.99), UI in mother (OR = 2.46, 95% CI: 1.35-4.50) and sister (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.16-0.77), previous UI during pregnancy (OR = 12.22, 95% CI: 4.11-36.36) and postpartum period (OR = 11.28, 95% CI: 3.66-34.76), and body mass index (OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.29-0.85) were associated with a higher likelihood of incontinence (P < .05). Ninety-two of 288 women (31.9%) stated that UI has a negative impact on their QOL and only 40 of 92 (43.5%) had asked for medical help. Impairment of QOL was related with the type of UI, frequency of UI episode, and amount of leakage. CONCLUSION: Our study results determined that UI is common in Turkish women. The QOL of women was mostly mildly or moderately affected by UI.

A survey of violence against staff working in the emergency department in ankara, Turkey.

PURPOSE: Workplace violence in the emergency department is a significant problem world wide. The aims of this study were to identify the proportion of staff subjected to the types of violence, its sources, factors affecting violence experiences, reporting the incidence and the emotions of the victims after violence. METHODS: This descriptive study was conducted between March and August 2009 in the the emergency department of six hospitals in Ankara, Turkey. Data were collected from 270 staff working in various emergency settings. The instrument was a 36-item questionnaire on types of violence, its sources, feelings, and ways to cope with violent behaviors. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were used for data analysis. RESULTS: The results showed 85.2% of participants had been subjected to at least one kind of violence: 41.1% to physical assault, 79.6% to verbal abuse, 55.5% to verbal threats and 15.9% to sexual harassment. Patients' companions (90.9%) were identified as the primary perpetrators of violence. The rates of violence types were highest towards security officers and housekeepers. The most common reactions to violence were sadness and anger. "Did nothing and keeping silent" was the coping method used most commonly by the staff. Participants exposed to physical assaults and verbal threat did not report the incidence of violence to managers were at 43.3% and 65.3% respectively. CONCLUSION: Based on results of the study, it is suggested that every hospital institute reliable reporting procedures that staff members feel comfortable using, and also provide a comprehensive program of support services for staff that has been assaulted.

Urinary incontinence in pregnant women and their quality of life.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The aim was to investigate the prevalence of urinary incontinence during pregnancy and the related risk factors as well as to assess its influence on the quality of life. BACKGROUND: Although urinary incontinence is common during pregnancy and can have a substantial impact on quality of life, women rarely seek help for this symptom. DESIGN: This study was designed as a cross-sectional and descriptive survey. METHODS: A total of 393 pregnant women participated in the study between March and June 2007. The data was collected using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form and Wagner's quality of life scale. Potential risk factors were investigated through logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: The prevalence of urinary incontinence was 27% (106/393). Factors significantly associated with urinary incontinence included age group, parity, previous urinary incontinence, constipation, urinary incontinence in mother and sister, previous urinary incontinence during pregnancy and postpartum. CONCLUSION: According to the results of our study, urinary incontinence is common in women during pregnancy. The quality of life of pregnant women was found to be either unaffected or affected very little by urinary incontinence. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: This study reveals that the prevalence of urinary incontinence during pregnancy is very high. The findings will help increase the awareness of health care workers involved in the care of pregnant women about urinary incontinence and aid the design of more intensive education programmes directed towards the prevention of urinary incontinence during pregnancy.