Urinary continence in women during centrifuge exposure to high +Gz
Benjamin, C.R.; Hearon, C.M.
Aviation Space and Environmental Medicine 71(2): 131-136
2000
ISSN/ISBN: 0095-6562 PMID: 10685586 Document Number: 514017
Background: One earlier study and anecdotal evidence suggest a possible association between exposure to high +Gz forces and urinary incontinence in women. High +Gz could possibly contributes to the prolapse of the bladder neck, moving it into a position which decreases the leak point pressure resulting in urinary incontinence. Hypothesis: We tested the hypothesis that increased urinary incontinence is associated with high +Gz. Methods: 25 females were exposed to a high +Gz profile. Following the exposure they were asked to answer a questionnaire grading their urinary continence under high +Gz, and to provide a baseline grading of their urinary continence at +1.0 Gz and under increased abdominal stress at +1.0 Gz. Demographic data included parity and previous urogenital surgery. Graded responses were dichotomized and data was analyzed using Fischer's Exact Test for 2 X 2 tables with significance set at alpha = 0.05. Results: At high +Gz no significant association was found between reported urine incontinence and a history of urogenital surgery or parity. Only one of twenty-five subjects had any symptoms at high +Gz despite the fact that five had a predisposition. As expected, at +1.0 Gz and under increased abdominal stress at +1.0 Gz, a significant association was found between reported urine incontinence and a history of urogenital surgery, while no significant association was found for parity. Conclusions: In this simple first look there was no increase in urinary incontinence at high +Gz even among those who reported a predisposition.