OBJECTIVE: 1) To assess the prevalence of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and 
urge urinary incontinence (UTI) in elite women athletes versus the general 
female population, and 2) to analyze the conditions of occurrence of urine loss 
in search of etiological clues in elite athletes. DECISION: An anonymous 
self-questionnaire was collected transversally from women aged 18 to 35 years. 
The exposed group was composed of elite female athletes; the non-exposed group 
was made up of women in the same age range accepting to answer the 
questionnaire.
RESULTS: A total of 157 answers from elite athletes and 426 from control 
subjects were available for analysis. Urinary incontinence prevalence was 28% 
for athletes and 9.8% for control subjects (p = .001). There was no significant 
difference in the relative prevalence of SUI between the athletes and control 
subjects. Athletes reported urine loss more frequently during the second part of 
the training session (p < 0.0003), and the second part of competition (p < 
0.05). Urinary incontinence prevalence was 9.87% in physically-active control 
subjects versus 9.84% in sedentary control subjects (NS). Even a small quantity 
of urine loss was felt to be embarrassing. Most incontinent women did not dare 
to speak of their condition to anybody.
CONCLUSIONS: There is a very high prevalence of urinary incontinence in women 
athletes. Detailed studies of the patho-physiology of this problem are necessary 
to formulate preventive recommendations.