Urinary incontinence increases risk of postpartum depression: systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE

Postpartum depression is one of the most common complications after childbearing. Urinary incontinence is a frequent symptom during pregnancy and the postnatal period, often being the first time that women experience it. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize the evidence on the association between urinary incontinence and postpartum depression and to assess whether this association becomes weaker at 6 months after childbirth.

DATA SOURCES

MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and PsycINFO were searched from inception to December 26, 2023.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Cross-sectional and cohort studies addressing the association between urinary incontinence and postpartum depression were included.

METHODS

Pooled odds ratios and their 95% confidence intervals, and 95% prediction intervals were estimated using a DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model for the association between urinary incontinence and postpartum depression. Subgroup analyses were conducted on the basis of time after delivery (<6 or ≥6 months). The risk of bias was assessed with the National Institutes of Health Quality Assessment Tool for Observational Cohort Studies.

RESULTS

Eleven published studies were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Overall, the odds ratio for the association between urinary incontinence and postpartum depression was 1.45 (95% confidence interval, 1.11-1.79; 95% prediction interval, 0.49-2.40; I=65.9%; P=.001). For the 7 cohort studies, the odds ratio was 1.63 (95% confidence interval, 1.35-1.91; 95% prediction interval, 1.14-2.13; I=11.1%; P=.345). For the 4 cross-sectional studies, the odds ratio was 1.05 (95% confidence interval, 1.04-1.05; 95% prediction interval, 1.04-1.06; I=0.0%; P=.413). According to the time after delivery, the odds ratio estimates for cohort studies with a postpartum period <6 months were 1.44 (95% confidence interval, 1.07-1.81; prediction interval, 0.63-2.25; I=0.0%; P=.603) and 1.53 (95% confidence interval, 1.16-1.89; prediction interval, 0.41-2.65; I=50.7%; P=.087) for those with a postpartum period ≥6 months.

CONCLUSION

This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that urinary incontinence may be a potential predictor of postpartum depression. Thus, it is important that health care professionals offer support and treatment options to women who experience these conditions.