Risk factors for postpartum urinary retention after vaginal delivery at term without epidural anesthesia

Abstract

Objective: We performed a retrospective case-control study of vaginal delivery at term without epidural anesthesia to identify clinical predictions of postpartum urinary retention (PUR).

Methods: We reviewed the obstetric records of all singleton vaginal deliveries at Japanese Red Cross, Katsushika Maternity Hospital form January 2016 through December 2017.

Results: There were 58 women (2.4%) complicated by PUR and 2391 women without PUR. A multivariate analysis revealed nulliparity, instrumental delivery, and episiotomy as independent risk factors for PUR (nulliparity: adjusted OR 2.39, 95%CI 1.2–4.8, p = 0.01; instrumental delivery: 3.53, 95%CI 1.9–6.7, p < .01, episiotomy: adjusted OR 1.96, 95%CI 1.0–3.8, p = .04). While, urination (or urethral catheterization) within 1 hour before delivery revealed as independent prevention factor for PUR (adjusted OR 0.54, 95%CI 0.30–0.99, p = .048).

Conclusions: The risk factors identified in our institute seemed to approximately similar to those observed in the institutes capable of performing epidural anesthesia. In addition, urination just before delivery seemed to be an independent prevention factor for PUR.

Keywords:

• Postpartum urinary retention
• vaginal delivery
• risk factors
• no epidural anesthesia
• urination

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.