Vaginal Entrapment…What?!
This term make anyone else think of the Venus Fly Trap in Little Shop of Horrors?
Just me? Cool…
Vaginal entrapment is actually just when water gets trapped in your vagina when submerged in water, such as a bathtub or swimming pool. It can easily be confused with urinary incontinence.
This occurrence hasn’t really been studied much, most likely because it’s not something that a lot of vagina owners report. But, it has been confirmed in at least two case studies (Kato K, 2022; Psooy K, 2010).
As a pelvic floor therapist, I treat many women with urinary incontinence, and a lot of them complain about leakage after being in water.
We aren’t exactly sure why this happens, but some possible causes of vaginal entrapment could be:
Position of your body in the water (horizontal or reclined seems to be worse)
The shape of your vagina
Pelvic floor laxity
Prolapse
Postpartum status
So, if you notice yourself leaking fluid after taking a bath or going swimming (even if it occurs a few hours after being in the water) and you’re afraid you’re peeing on yourself, the good news is that it might not be urine. However, it’s still worth getting checked out by a pelvic floor therapist. A pelvic floor specialist can help you determine whether there’s something going on with the strength or tone of your pelvic floor that may be contributing to the problem and come up with a plan to improve it.
References:
Kato K, Hirabayashi H, Matsuyama A, Sai H, Ishiyama A, Kurosu H, Kato T, Inoue S, Suzuki S. Post-bath incontinence (bathwater incontinence) can be managed with behavioral therapy. IJU Case Rep. 2022 Mar 18;5(3):203-206. doi: 10.1002/iju5.12441. PMID: 35509788; PMCID: PMC9057733.
Psooy K, Archambault JP. Vaginal entrapment of bathwater: a source of extra-urethral incontinence. Can Urol Assoc J. 2010 Oct;4(5):E123-6. doi: 10.5489/cuaj.933. PMID: 20944789; PMCID: PMC2950773.
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