Do Bladder Leaks Run in Families?What Studies Show
Bladder & Pelvic FloorArticleIf your mother or sister leaks, your own risk is somewhat higher. In a Norwegian study of more than 6,000 mothers and 7,600 daughters, daughters of women with leaks had about 1.3 times the risk, and sisters about 1.6 times. Twin studies suggest genes matter most for urge leaks, while for stress leaks and prolapse surgery, lifestyle and life events matter at least as much. Here is what that means for prevention.
Many women notice that their mother, aunt or sister had bladder leaks too, and wonder whether it’s in the family. Several large studies have looked.
Mothers, daughters and sisters
A Norwegian population study included 6,021 mothers, 7,629 daughters and thousands of sisters.1
| If she has leaks | Your risk of leaks |
|---|---|
| Your mother | About 1.3 times higher; 23% of these daughters leaked1 |
| Your mother, severely | About 1.9 times higher risk of severe leaks1 |
| Your older sister | About 1.6 times higher; about 30% leaked1 |
The link was a little stronger for stress and mixed leaks.1
What twins reveal
Comparing identical and non-identical twins helps separate genes from shared upbringing.
Denmark. In 1,168 pairs of female twins:2
- Urge leaks were about 42% to 49% heritable.2
- Mixed leaks also had a substantial genetic part.2
- For stress leaks, the role of genes was less clear.2
Sweden. In more than 8,400 pairs of female twins, researchers looked at surgery for stress leaks and prolapse.3 Genes and each woman’s own experiences each explained about 40% of the risk.3 The authors pointed out that this large environmental share means the risk can be changed.3
What this means for you
- A family history is a nudge, not a sentence. Most daughters of women with leaks didn’t leak themselves.1
- Start pelvic floor training early if leaks run in your family. See can pelvic floor exercises help?
- Work on the parts you can change, such as weight and constipation. See weight loss and bladder leaks and how childbirth affects the pelvic floor.
- Tell your clinician about the family history when you discuss symptoms.
Try: “My mother and sister both had bladder leaks and surgery for prolapse. I’ve started leaking a little when I cough. What can I do now to keep it from getting worse?”
Laugh, Sneeze, Jump covers how common leaks are in Chapter 1, “Crossed Legs and Dark Leggings,” in a section called “How Many of Us.” Its Three-Day Read, a bladder diary with a bowel column, shows whether your leaks come with effort, urges or both, which is where the family pattern differs most. 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 clinician for leaks with burning, blood in your urine, pelvic pain, a bulge in the vagina, or trouble emptying your bladder. 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.
- BMJ journal (via PubMed Central), 2004Familial risk of urinary incontinence in women: population based cross sectional study (opens in a new tab)abcdef
- Acta Obstetricia et Gynecologica Scandinavica (abstract via PubMed), 2004Genetic and environmental influences on urinary incontinence: a Danish population-based twin study of middle-aged and elderly women (opens in a new tab)abcd
- European Urology journal (abstract via PubMed), 2008Genetic influence on stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse (opens in a new tab)abc
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