What Are the Causes of Urinary Incontinence in Women?

Urinary incontinence can be an embarrassing and frustrating problem that makes you want to avoid going out in public and can make you feel older than you really are. Incontinence is a treatable condition that can result from different stages of a woman's life, including pregnancy and birth, changes in hormone levels and medications used to treat certain medical conditions. Consider this information from Drugs.com and the Mayo Clinic about the causes of urinary incontinence in women.

Too Much Water

• Drinking too much water or drinking too quickly can stretch your bladder and result in urinary incontinence.

Medications

• Medications such as sleeping pills, sedatives, muscle relaxants, antidepressants and anti-hyperintensives can cause incontinence by relaxing your bladder.

Pregnancy

• Pregnancy may cause women to have urinary incontinence as a result of hormonal changes and pressure on the bladder from the uterus.

Childbirth

• Delivering your baby vaginally can weaken the muscles of your pelvis that help to control your bladder, which can result in urinary incontinence.

Hysterectomy

• Surgical removal of your uterus may cause urinary incontinence as a result of damage to the muscles of your pelvic floor.

Menopause

• The decrease in your estrogen level after menopause can cause your urethra to lose elasticity and not be able to fully close, resulting in urinary incontinence.

UTIs

• Women are more prone to urinary tract infections (UTIs) than men, and can experience urinary incontinence as a result of bladder irritations from such infections.