Women's Health Exam Practice 2025 – Complete Study Resource

In the context of urinary incontinence in a 67-year-old woman, weight loss is an effective non-invasive intervention, particularly if the individual is overweight or obese. Excess weight can contribute to increased intra-abdominal pressure, which may exacerbate stress urinary incontinence. By losing weight, the stress on the pelvic floor may be reduced, potentially leading to an improvement in symptoms.

While other options such as pessary use, midurethral sling, and topical estrogen can be suitable treatments in different scenarios of urinary incontinence, they do not specifically address the role of weight in this case. Pessaries are mechanical devices used for pelvic organ prolapse and may assist with urinary incontinence but are not the first line in all patients. Midurethral slings are surgical options indicating a higher index of treatment escalation and typically are employed if conservative measures fail. Topical estrogen may help in postmenopausal women with urinary incontinence related to vaginal atrophy but does not directly correlate with weight management. Weight loss as a primary treatment is suitable, focusing on lifestyle changes that not only improve urinary symptoms but also promote overall health, especially in an older adult population.