Urinary incontinence is experienced by 1 in 3 women over the age of 40 and approximately half of all women over 60. Whilst it becomes more prevalent as you age, it is not a normal side-effect of the ageing process and can be controlled. Most women begin to experience incontinence problems in their 40s and 50s after childbearing, specifically vaginal births. In some cases, however, urinary incontinence can start earlier, particularly for those predisposed to urinary conditions. Stress incontinence occurs when weakened pelvic floor muscles cause you to leak urine when you cough, sneeze, jump or laugh, intensive physical exercise or making sudden movements. Urge incontinence occurs in older women and is when you feel a sudden, uncontrollable urge to urinate. Also called ‘overactive bladder’, urge incontinence is caused by the bladder contracting when it shouldn’t, allowing urine to leak through the sphincter muscles. It can happen any time or anywhere, including during sleep. Other forms of urinary incontinence include Mixed (Stress and Urge), Overflow and Total incontinence.