Stress incontinence in women

Stress urinary incontinence (stress incontinence) is the leaking of urine when you do something that puts pressure on your bladder and urethra (the tube that carries urine out of the body). It can happen when you sneeze, cough, laugh, or exercise. Stress incontinence is the most common type of urinary incontinence in women.

Stress incontinence can be caused by childbirth, weight gain, or other conditions that weaken the pelvic floor muscles. The pelvic floor muscles support the urethra. When these muscles are weak, the urethra drops down when there is abdominal pressure from laughing, coughing, or another reason. This allows urine to leak out.