Delivery by caesarean section does not necessarily protect women from developing anal incontinence, according to a large population-based study.

The Swedish research found that although women having a vaginal delivery had a 65% higher risk of anal incontinence than those who had a caesarean delivery, any woman having a baby had twice the risk of anal incontinence compared with nulliparous women.

However, even nulliparous women were 90% more likely to be diagnosed with anal incontinence than men, a fact that was not generally known, the researchers said, adding that women’s anatomy might make them more susceptible than men.

The main causes of male anal incontinence were anal surgery and prostate cancer therapy.