PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the factors that affect the severity of urinary incontinence and the quality of life of women with urinary incontinence. METHODS: An exploratory correlation research design was applied and the sixty women who responded that they currently experience involuntary urine leakage at least once per week were invited to participate in the study. RESULTS: According to the study results, the factors that significantly contribute to the severity of urinary incontinence were age, number of parity, and number of normal deliveries. Other influencing factors, such as obesity, menopausal state, hysterectomy, and number of episiotomies, were not significant to predict the severity of urinary incontinence. Urinary incontinence frequency per week and duration of experiencing urinary incontinence were shown to be factors that significantly affect quality of life. CONCLUSION: In women above 60 years old, multiparity, and multiple experiences of vaginal delivery tended to present a higher level of severity of urinary incontinence. In addition, women with higher frequencies of urinary incontinence per week and a longer duration of urinary incontinence showed a lower level of quality of life.
Urinary Incontinence/*etiology/physiopathology/psychology ; Risk Factors ; *Quality of Life ; Middle Aged ; Humans ; Female ; Adult

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of pelvic floor muscle exercise using biofeedback and electrical stimulation after normal delivery. METHODS: The subjects of this study were 49 (experimental group: 25, control group: 24) postpartum women who passed 6 weeks after normal delivery without complication of pregnancy, delivery and postpartum. The experimental group was applied to the pelvic muscle enforcement program by biofeedback and electrical stimulation for 30 minutes per session, twice a week for 6 weeks, after then self-exercise of pelvic floor muscle was done 50-60 repetition per session, 3 times a day for 6 weeks. Maximum pressure of pelvic floor muscle contraction (MPPFMC), average pressure of pelvic floor muscle contraction (APPFMC), duration time of pelvic floor muscle contraction (DTPFMC) and the subjective lower urinary symptoms were measured by digital perineometer and Bristol Female Urinary Symptom Questionnaire and compared between two groups prior to trial, at the end of treatment and 6 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: The results of this study indicated that MPPFMC, APPFMC, DTPFMC were significantly increased and subjective lower urinary symptoms were significantly decreased after treatment in the experimental group than in the control group. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggested that the pelvic floor muscle exercise using biofeedback and electrical stimulation might be a safer and more effective program for reinforcing pelvic floor muscle after normal delivery.
Adult ; Analysis of Variance ; Biofeedback (Psychology)/*methods ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Delivery, Obstetric/adverse effects/methods ; Electric Stimulation/*methods ; Exercise Therapy/*methods ; Female ; Humans ; Korea ; Muscle Contraction ; Nursing Evaluation Research ; Parity ; *Pelvic Floor/physiopathology ; Pregnancy ; Puerperal Disorders/etiology/physiopathology/*prevention & control ; Risk Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Urinary Incontinence, Stress/etiology/physiopathology/*prevention & control ; Urodynamics