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Review
. 2025 Dec 27.
doi: 10.1007/s00192-025-06468-5. Online ahead of print.

Risk Factors for Gestational Stress Urinary Incontinence: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

De-Feng Chen  1 , Si-Di Dai  1 , Hua-Ting Chen  2 , Yao-Jie Zhai  1 , Bing Liu  3 , Tai-Zhen Luo  4   5
Affiliations
Review

Risk Factors for Gestational Stress Urinary Incontinence: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

De-Feng Chen et al. Int Urogynecol J. .

Abstract

Introduction and hypothesis: Pregnant women's physical health and quality of life are affected by gestational stress urinary incontinence (GSUI), requiring therapeutic attention to this obstetric issue.

Methods: To review and analyze the factors influencing GSUI, a literature search was conducted in both Chinese and English databases, including Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, WanFang, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure. Cohort studies, cross-sectional studies, and other studies that fit the population and research focus were included; conference papers and review articles were not.

Results: Twenty studies were included. In the univariate analysis, factors influencing GSUI included: previous vaginal delivery, parity, miscarriage, previous infant > 4 kg, age, constipation during pregnancy, pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT), and multiple gravidity. In the multivariate analysis, factors influencing GSUI included previous vaginal delivery, parity, previous infant > 4 kg, age, constipation during pregnancy, PFMT, BMI during pregnancy, and gestational age.

Conclusions: Previous vaginal delivery, constipation, and previous infant > 4 kg are key risk factors for GSUI, with PFMT showing a protective effect. Clinicians should integrate preventive strategies into antenatal care to reduce the incidence of GSUI.

Keywords: Gestational; Meta-analysis; Pregnant people; Risk factors; Stress urinary incontinence.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: None.

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