Women's Health: U.S. Markets for Female Urinary Incontinence Therapies, February 2014

Incontinence may be defined as the involuntary loss of bladder or bowel control.  

In the United States (U.S.), urinary incontinence (UI) is highly prevalent.  According to the National Association for Continence (NAFC), the condition affects more than 200 million people worldwide, with a conservative estimate of 25 million adults in the U.S. experiencing chronic or transient UI.  The NAFC estimates that 75% to 80% of the UI population comprises women, with 9 million to 13 million suffering severe symptoms.  Additionally, an estimated 3.3 million women in the U.S. have pelvic organ prolapse (POP), a condition that may result in UI, and an estimated 18.0 million people suffer from fecal incontinence.  Despite the high prevalence, urinary incontinence remains vastly undertreated, with an estimated two-thirds of those with the condition forgoing treatment and less than one-half consulting a physician.  

This report focuses on minimally invasive therapy systems and medications designed for the treatment of female UI, including OAB pharmaceutical or drug treatments, injectable urethral bulking agents, and urethral sling systems, of which the OAB drug treatments market contributes the vast majority of revenues.  

In 2012, the value of the U.S. female UI therapies market (as defined by the scope of this report) totaled approximately $1,255.4 million.  The majority of sales were derived from OAB drug revenues due to a large population base, wide availability of prescription and OTC products, and ease of use.  Over the forecast period covered by this report, total sales in this market are expected to increase at a compound annual rate of 6.6%, reaching an estimated $1,727.2 million in the year 2017.