The contribution of prenatal obstetric nursing care: education for prevention and correction of Stress Urinary Incontinence (SUI)

DOI: 10.15343/0104-7809.200731.3.11

Abstract

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a disease of multifactorial etiology that affects women in different ages and has as its main
risk factor pregnancy and delivery. This bibliographic survey aimed to analyze the relationship between pregnancy and the development of SUI,
emphasizing nursing assistance in helping the detection of these factors, mainly the contribution of pelvic floor strengthening exercises. For its
accomplishment the following databases were used: Pubmed, Medline, Lilacs and Scielo, having as inclusion criteria papers in Portuguese and
English approaching pregnancy in its relationship with SUI. Twenty-nine papers were found among them twenty-four pointed out pregnancy
as the main risk factor for SUI and five treated pelvic floor strengthening exercises during pregnancy. We conclude that pregnancy is by itself
a significant risk factor for SUI. It is suggested that the nurse integrate to prenatal consultation the evaluation of pelvic floor muscles strength
and question about urine loss before and during pregnancy, valuing urinary problems complaints and observing a high body mass index and
constipation. Besides this, pregnant women should be taught Kegel pelvic floor exercises for SUI prevention and treatment