Urinary incontinence in women is sometimes dismissed by physicians as a minor inconvenience, according to Dr. Lily Arya, associate professor and chief of urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery with the University of Pennsylvania medical system.

The condition has an effect on 80 percent of women at some point in their life and a significant number of men, too, she said.

If a person is constantly “bathroom mapping” — determining where restrooms are located before setting out on a trip — that’s an indication that he or she should consult a doctor, Arya said.

For women, stress can exacerbate the problem. Once a woman experiences urinary incontinence, it can trigger life-changing behavior.

They may stop exercising out of concern the problem will grow, Arya said. That can lead to weight gain, heart disease and a poor self-image, the Penn Medicine surgeon said.

“You don’t feel so good about yourself,” Arya said. “This is what I call the creep of the bladder condition. A little joke of ‘Oh, I have to cross my legs’ and then the creep goes on and on and the bladder takes over your life.”

Even more vexing, urinary incontinence can put men and women at risk for depression, according to C. Neill Epperson, director of the Penn Center for Women’s Behavioral Wellness.

“It does have a very powerful impact on how people feel about themselves,” Epperson said.

As such, short-term mental health counseling — about eight sessions — may help reduce or eliminate the problem, Epperson said.

Treating urinary incontinence — by avoiding overhydration, too much caffeine and artificial sweeteners and performing Kegel exercises to strengthen pelvic muscles — can help women avoid using absorbent liners or briefs, Arya said.

In the United Kingdom, midwives show pregnant women how to perform Kegel exercises, she said. The exercises can prevent urinary incontinence, a condition that women can experience after child birth. “We have fallen short of doing that because we have our patients who see doctors who are not as good as midwives, unfortunately, when it comes to preventive care,” Arya said.