Experiences of Urinary Incontinence in Women Who Are Peri-Menopausal: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Urinary incontinence is commonly experienced by women during midlife and the menopausal transition. Urinary incontinence can be an unpleasant and distressing condition, with many women perceiving it as a normal part of ageing or life stage, which may contribute to underreporting and delayed engagement with healthcare professionals. The impact of urinary incontinence is complex and extends across physical, psychological, social, and functional domains, with implications for quality of life. Despite this, limited attention has been given to understanding women's experiences of urinary incontinence during the peri-menopausal transition. Therefore, there is a clinical need to synthesise the qualitative evidence exploring the lived experience of urinary incontinence in peri-menopausal women. The PRISMA 2020 guidelines were used to conduct a systematic search of qualitative literature across five databases (CINAHL, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, and Scopus). Study selection was guided by predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. As no studies met the inclusion criteria, methodological quality appraisal was not undertaken. A total of 69 studies were identified, with 62 screened for eligibility following removal of duplicates. No studies met the inclusion criteria for this review. The absence of eligible studies highlights a critical gap in the current literature. While existing research demonstrates that urinary incontinence is prevalent and associated with significant impact in midlife women, this evidence is predominantly derived from quantitative studies using structured measures of symptoms and quality of life. As a result, the lived experience of urinary incontinence in peri-menopausal women remains unexplored. Further qualitative research is required to understand how women experience, interpret, and manage urinary incontinence during the peri-menopausal transition. Such research is essential to inform more responsive, person-centred approaches to care and to better align clinical management with women's needs and experiences.