New campaign focus urges women to seek care for common, treatable bladder leaks during pregnancy and after childbirth
CHARLESTON, SC, UNITED STATES, June 2, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The National Association For Continence is shining a spotlight on bladder leaks during pregnancy and after childbirth as part of the May/June focus of its national We Count campaign, an initiative designed to raise awareness of urinary incontinence and encourage more women to seek care.
Bladder leaks during and after pregnancy are far more common than many women realize. Around 40–50% of women experience urinary incontinence during pregnancy, with symptoms often beginning in the second trimester. About 1 in 3 women experience bladder leaks after childbirth, and symptoms can persist long after delivery, with up to 30% of women still experiencing leakage one year postpartum.
Despite how common bladder leaks are, many women are told they are simply a “normal” part of pregnancy, childbirth, or motherhood. As a result, symptoms are often dismissed, minimized, or left untreated.
“Bladder leaks may be common during pregnancy and after childbirth, but that does not mean women should be expected to live with them,” said Sarah Jenkins, Executive Director of the National Association For Continence. “Women deserve better education, earlier support, and clear guidance on treatment options that can help them regain control and improve their quality of life.”
Pelvic floor changes and injury during pregnancy and childbirth can contribute to bladder control problems, particularly stress incontinence, which is leakage that occurs with coughing, laughing, sneezing, or movement. Vaginal delivery can increase risk, with women experiencing nearly double the rate of urinary incontinence compared to cesarean delivery.
The good news is that bladder leaks are treatable. Pelvic floor muscle training is recommended as a first-line treatment for postpartum urinary incontinence, and effective, non-invasive therapies are available. Yet many women never access care.
Around 70% of postpartum women do not use pelvic floor services, even when experiencing symptoms.
Through the We Count campaign, NAFC is encouraging women to start conversations earlier with their healthcare providers, ask about pelvic floor therapy, and seek treatment rather than waiting for symptoms to resolve on their own.
“Too many women suffer quietly because they feel embarrassed or believe nothing can be done,” Jenkins said. “We want women to know that help is available, treatment can work, and they do not have to accept bladder leaks as an unavoidable part of motherhood.”
To learn more about bladder leaks during pregnancy and after childbirth, visit NAFC.org/we-count.
About the National Association For Continence
The National Association For Continence is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the quality of life of people with bladder and bowel health conditions through education, advocacy, and support. For more information, visit NAFC.org.
Sarah E Jenkins
National Association For Continence
memberservices@nafc.org
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Bladder Leaks And Pregnancy: What Every Woman Should Know
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