What is the medical term for unintentional wetting of pants?

• A. Urinary retention
• B. Dysuria
• C. Enuresis
• D. Incontinence

Answer: (D)

Unintentional wetting of the pants is described by the term incontinence. This is the broad umbrella for any involuntary leakage of urine due to loss of bladder control, covering various forms and causes. Enuresis is a more specific term meaning bedwetting, typically used when the leakage occurs during sleep and is most often discussed in children. Urinary retention is the failure to empty the bladder, which is the opposite situation, and dysuria is painful urination, not leakage. So for the general idea of unintentional urinary leakage, incontinence is the accurate term.