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Clinically overt postpartum urinary retention after vaginal delivery: a retrospective case-control study

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Abstract

We set out to determine the incidence of symptomatic postpartum urinary retention (PUR) after vaginal delivery and to establish any associated risk factors. We carried out a retrospective case-control study of women having PUR after vaginal delivery from 2001 to 2005. Four controls, matched for date of delivery, were selected for each case in univariate and multivariate conditional logistic regression analyses. There were 15,757 deliveries and 30 cases of PUR (incidence 0.2%). Median duration of PUR was 19 days (range 3–85). Eighty percent were managed with intermittent self-catheterization. The use of regional analgesia increased the risk of PUR [odds ratio (OR) 6.33, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.01–19.96], while ethnicity (Caucasian vs Asian) reduced the risk (OR 0.27, CI 0.08–0.85) (p<0.05). PUR is uncommon but carries significant morbidity. Epidural analgesia and Asian ethnic origin increase the risk. We recommend routine catheterization for up to 24 h after delivery after epidural analgesia.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Urogynaecology Department, Leicester General Hospital, Gwendolen Road, Leicester, LE5 4PW, UK

    Roderick Teo, Jeanette Punter & Christopher Mayne

  2. Centre for Biostatistics and Genetic Epidemiology, Department of Health Sciences, University of Leicester, 22-28 Princess Road West, Leicester, LE1 6TP, UK

    Keith Abrams

  3. Reproductive Science Section, Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine, University of Leicester, P.O. Box 65, Leicester, LE2 7LX, UK

    Douglas Tincello

Authors
  1. Roderick Teo
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  2. Jeanette Punter
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  3. Keith Abrams
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  4. Christopher Mayne
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  5. Douglas Tincello
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Correspondence to Roderick Teo.

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Teo, R., Punter, J., Abrams, K. et al. Clinically overt postpartum urinary retention after vaginal delivery: a retrospective case-control study. Int Urogynecol J 18, 521–524 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-006-0183-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00192-006-0183-x

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