Urinary incontinence(UI) is a common condition affecting adult women of all ages and it could have a negative infl uence on quality of life. The etiology of UI is multifactorial, but some of the most important risk factors are obesity and ageing, as well as adverse obstetric events. Pregnancy and delivery per se have been implicated in the etiology of UI. Although several studies have demonstrated a direct association between UI and vaginal delivery in short, medium and long-term, the role of childbirth on the risk of UI remains controversial. The mechanical strain during delivery may induce injuries to the muscle, connective and neural structures. Vaginal birth can be associated with relaxation or disruption of fascial and ligamentous supports of pelvic organs. Parity, instrumental delivery, prolonged labor and increased birth weights have always been considered risk factors for pelvic floor injury. Also genetic factors have been recently raised up but still there are not appropriate guidelines or measures to reduce signifi cantly the incidence of UI. The role of pelvic fl oor muscle training(PFMT) in the prevention and treatment of UI is still unclear. However, PFMT seems to be useful when supervised training is conducted and it could be incorporated as a routine part of women’s exercise programmes during pregnancy and after childbirth. Urinary incontinence (UI) is a common condition affecting adult women of all ages and it could have a negative infl uence on quality of life. The etiology of UI is multifactorial, but some of the most important risk factors are obesity and aging, as well as adverse obstetric events. Pregnancy and delivery per se have been demonstrated in a direct association between UI and vaginal delivery in short, medium and long-term, the role of childbirth on the risk of UI remains controversial. The mechanical strain during delivery may induce injuries to the muscle, connective and neural structures. Vaginal birth can be associated with relaxation or disruption of fascial and ligamentous supports of pelvic organs. Parity, instrumental delivery, prolonged labor and increased birth weights have always been considered risk factors for pelvic floor injury. Also genetic factors have been recently raised up but still there are not appropriate guidelines or measures to reduce signifi cantly the incidence of UI. The role of pelvic fl oor muscle training (PFMT) in the prevention and treatment of UI is still unclear. However, PFMT seems to be useful when supervised training is conducted and it could be incorporated as a routine part of women’s exercise programs during pregnancy and after childbirth.