Abstract

Background: Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and pelvic organ prolapse (POP) would develop simultaneously because of the same etiopathogenesis of pelvic floor weakness. Some studies have said the association between SUI symptoms may be determined by the degree of anterior compartment prolapse. Then some incidences of occult SUI could also mask the symptom of SUI in the severe stage of POP.

Methods: A total of 32 women diagnosed with POP and SUI from the urogynecology clinic were included in a cross-sectional study between 2019 and 2020. The degree of anterior compartment prolapse was measured using the POP-Q system (Ba point), while SUI's severity was measured using a 1- hour pad test in grams. The correlation between the severity of SUI (with the occurrence of occult SUI) and the anterior compartment prolapse was analyzed.

Results: No correlation was observed between the degree of anterior compartment prolapse and SUI degree (r = 0.240, p = 0.182). Occult SUI was found in only 5/24 (20.8%) grade III and IV anterior compartment prolapse cases.

Conclusion: SUI symptom was not determined by the severity of anterior compartment prolapse. The prevalence of occult SUI in severe POP was also low.

Keywords: Pelvic organ prolapse, urinary incontinence, stress urinary incontinence, POP-Q, urogynecology, hypermobility of urethra.