Does Gestational Diabetes Increase Urinary Incontinence During Pregnancy? A Cross‐Sectional Study of Symptom Patterns and Incontinence‐Related Quality of Life

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the association between gestational diabetes mellitus and urinary incontinence during pregnancy, including symptom subtype, symptom severity, and incontinence-related quality of life. METHODS: This cross-sectional study included pregnant women who underwent a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test at 24-28 weeks of gestation. GDM was diagnosed using International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups criteria. Urinary incontinence was assessed using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Urinary Incontinence Short Form (ICIQ-UI SF), and incontinence-related quality of life with the Incontinence Quality of Life (I-QOL) questionnaire. Participants were compared by GDM status. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate factors associated with urinary incontinence. RESULTS: A total of 309 pregnant women were included, of whom 110 had GDM. Incontinence subtype distribution differed by GDM status. Urinary incontinence was observed in 146 women (47.2%), with no significant difference in prevalence between women with and without GDM. Subtype distribution differed: urgency urinary incontinence was significantly more frequent in women with GDM, whereas stress and mixed urinary incontinence were more common in those without GDM. Total ICIQ-UI SF scores were comparable between groups. Women with GDM had higher total I-QOL and psychosocial impact scores. Parity was higher among women with urinary incontinence than among those without. CONCLUSION: Gestational diabetes mellitus was not associated with increased prevalence of urinary incontinence during pregnancy. Obstetric factors, particularly parity, appeared to be more closely associated with urinary incontinence than GDM status. Higher I-QOL scores in women with GDM should be interpreted cautiously and may reflect healthcare-related or perceptual factors rather than a protective association. However, urgency urinary incontinence was more frequent in women with GDM.