Accidental Bowel Leakage in Women: How Common Is It and What Helps?
Bladder & Pelvic FloorArticleLeaking stool or mucus is far more common than most women realize. A US national survey found about 9% of women had at least one accident in the past month, rising with age. Loose stools were a key risk. In a trial, a psyllium fiber supplement cut weekly accidents from about 5.5 to 2.5. In another, medicine and pelvic floor biofeedback did no better than an education leaflet. Here is what the studies show.
In this article
Accidentally leaking stool, liquid or mucus is one of the hardest symptoms to mention. It’s also common.
How common it is
A US national survey of 2,229 women and 2,079 men counted any leak of stool or mucus in the past month:1
- About 9% of women had leaked at least once.1
- About 3% of adults leaked at least weekly.1
- Rates rose with age, from under 3% in people in their twenties to over 15% at 70 and older.1
In women, the main risk factors were older age, loose or watery stools, very frequent bowel movements, several chronic illnesses and bladder leaks.1 The authors called chronic diarrhea a strong risk factor that can be changed.1
Firming stools with fiber
A trial in 189 people who leaked loose stools compared three fiber supplements with a placebo, at 16 grams a day for 32 days:2
| Supplement | Accidents a week afterward |
|---|---|
| Placebo | About 5.52 |
| Psyllium | About 2.52 |
| Gum arabic | About 4.32 |
| Carboxymethylcellulose | About 6.22 |
Psyllium worked best; carboxymethylcellulose made things worse.2 Few people had trouble taking the supplements.2
Medicine and biofeedback
A trial at 8 US clinics assigned 300 women with normal stool consistency to loperamide (an anti-diarrhea medicine) or placebo, and to pelvic floor biofeedback training or an education leaflet alone.3
At 24 weeks:3
- Loperamide did no better than placebo.
- Biofeedback did no better than the leaflet.
Everyone got the leaflet, so basic education was part of every group.3 Loperamide can cause constipation.3
What this means for you
- Tell your doctor; it’s common and treatable.
- Look at stool consistency. If stools are loose, ask about psyllium.2
- Treat diarrhea at its cause.1
- Mention bladder leaks too, since they often go together.1 See pelvic floor dysfunction and describing bowel leakage.
Try: “I’ve had a few bowel accidents this year, usually when my stools are loose. Could a fiber supplement help, and should anything be checked?”
Laugh, Sneeze, Jump treats the bowel as part of the pelvic floor picture. Its Three-Day Read, a short bladder diary, includes a bowel column, so loose stools and leaks show up on paper next to your bladder notes. See the book.
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not medical advice. It isn't a substitute for diagnosis or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional who knows your health history. See a doctor for new bowel leakage, blood in your stool, a lasting change in bowel habit, weight loss, or leakage after childbirth or surgery. Ask before starting anti-diarrhea medicine regularly. Girl Playbook does not endorse any specific product, test, or provider.
Girl Playbook sells this book. It provides education and worksheets, not individualized medical care.
Sources
The research behind this article, in the order it’s cited. How we source our articles.
- Gastroenterology (via PubMed Central), 2009Fecal incontinence in US adults: epidemiology and risk factors (opens in a new tab)abcdefgh
- Research in Nursing & Health (via PubMed Central), 2014Dietary fiber supplementation for fecal incontinence: a randomized clinical trial (opens in a new tab)abcdefgh
- Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology (abstract via PubMed), 2019Controlling faecal incontinence in women by performing anal exercises with biofeedback or loperamide: a randomised clinical trial (opens in a new tab)abcd
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