Lifestyle changes and medication can often help to ease stress urinary incontinence, but doctors may also suggest surgery if the problem persists.

According to the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, a number of possible operations are available, depending on an individual patient's circumstances.

The two most common procedures are burch colposuspension - in which a cradle of threads is created in the pelvic area to support the urethra - and tension-free vaginal tape, where a sling is created from synthetic tape to support the bladder entrance.

The organisation's information sheet on surgery for stress urinary incontinence states: "Whether you choose to have surgery will depend on how far stress incontinence affects your daily life and what you feel you can cope with.

"You may want to consider surgical options if other things (such as exercises to help strengthen the muscles in the pelvic floor) have not helped."

However, the organisation cautions that surgery for stress incontinence is not usually recommended for women who plan to have children in the future.

About 13 per cent of women in the UK are affected by female incontinence, of which stress incontinence and urge incontinence are the most common types.