Effect of one interval vaginal delivery on the prevalence of stress urinary incontinence: a prospective cohort study

The effect of epidural analgesia on postpartum urinary incontinence: a systematic review

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS

Urinary incontinence (UI) is common during pregnancy and in the postpartum period. Some women appear to recover their usual urinary function but in others UI persists, playing an important role in women's quality of life. Even though postpartum UI seems to have a multifactorial etiology, pregnancy, vaginal delivery, birth weight and parity are recognized as risk factors. This systematic review aims to evaluate the effect of one particular potential risk factor, epidural analgesia, on the development of postpartum UI in women with vaginal delivery.

METHODS

PubMed, Cochrane and Scopus were searched for "epidural analgesia," "epidural anesthesia" or "epidural" and "urinary incontinence." All studies published until 31 July 2020 were considered. A total of 393 studies were identified, and 23 studies were included in the systematic review.

RESULTS

From the total 23 articles included in this review, 21 showed a non-significant association between epidural analgesia and postpartum UI. One study found that the risk of postpartum SUI and any type of UI was significantly, but only slightly, increased in women with epidural analgesia. Another study showed a protective effect but was lacking control for important confounders.

CONCLUSION

There appears to be no association between epidural analgesia and postpartum UI. Therefore, pregnant women should not fear epidural analgesia because of a possible increased risk of UI.

Birthweight and urinary incontinence after childbirth: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Birthweight and urinary incontinence after childbirth: a systematic review and meta-analysis Stian Langeland WESNES, Elin SEIM MD Urinary incontinence (UI) is common after childbirth. Many cohort and cross-sectional studies have reported data on birthweight, but results have not been pooled. It is unclear how birthweight affects UI after childbirth. The objective is to review the effect of birthweight on UI after childbirth through meta-analyses. Searches were performed in Medline, Embase, Svemed+, ClinicalTrials.gov, Cochrane, and Cinahl in August 2016. Additional reference checking was performed. Included articles evaluated birthweight as a possible risk factor for maternal UI. We included articles that were presented in Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, or English. Two independent reviewers extracted the data and analysed it using Review Manager 5.3 software. Available data from included studies on birthweight (≥4000 g and ≥3500 g, respectively) and UI were combined in meta-analyses. PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines were used. Eighteen studies (N = 30 070) reported data on birthweight >4000 g vs <4000 g. Birthweight>4000 g compared to weight <4000 g was associated with a significantly increased OR of any UI (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.24 - 1.80). Five studies (N = 15 066) reported data on birthweight >3500 g vs <3500 g. Birthweight>3500 g was also associated with a significantly increased OR of UI (OR 1.26, 95% CI 1.15 - 1.37). High birthweight appears to increase OR of UI after childbirth. Preventative strategies should be targeted towards women at particular risk.

Common Problems of Urination in Nonpregnant Women: Causes, Current Management, and Prevention Strategies

This article uses a case-based approach to review common problems of urination in nonpregnant women, including overactive bladder; stress, urge, and mixed incontinence; and retention and prolapse. Up-to-date clinical issues related to assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up are reviewed, with a discussion of underlying pathophysiology and prevention strategies. Suggestions are made for relevant curriculum content at both the basic and advanced levels of advanced practice education.

A urogynecologist's view ofthe pelvic floor effects of vaginal delivery/cesarean section for the urologist

Pregnancy and parturition have been implicated in the development of pelvic floor dysfunction. These disorders include urinary incontinence, fecal incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, and other pelvic and sexual dysfunctions. The urologist caring for women with urinary dysfunction needs to be familiar with the causes of pelvic floor dysfunction and their implications. Defects of the pelvic floor have clearly resulted from the traumatic effect of vaginal delivery. The likely mechanisms of injuries during vaginal delivery involve stretching and compression of the pudendal nerve and peripheral branches, as well as an additional tearing of muscles and connective tissue. Optimal management of labor and optimal techniques of repair of unavoidable sphincteric lacerations, ante- and postpartum pelvic floor muscle conditioning, and timely and proper indications for cesarean delivery will minimize the effect of incidental traumatic delivery.

Maternal health study: a prospective cohort study of nulliparous women recruited in early pregnancy

Background

In the first year after childbirth, 94% of women experience one or more major health problems (urinary incontinence, faecal incontinence, perineal pain, back pain). Difficulties in intimate partner relationships and changes affecting sexual health are also common. The aim of this study is to investigate changes in women's health from early pregnancy until four years after the birth of a first child.

Methods/design

The Maternal Health Study is a longitudinal study designed to fill in some of the gaps in current research evidence regarding women's physical and psychological health and recovery after childbirth. A prospective pregnancy cohort of >1500 nulliparous women has been recruited in early pregnancy at six metropolitan public hospitals in Melbourne, Australia between April 2003 and December 2005. In the first phase of the study participants are being followed up at 30–32 weeks gestation in pregnancy, and at three, six, nine, 12 and 18 months postpartum using a combination of self-administered questionnaires and telephone interviews. Women consenting to extended follow-up (phase 2) will be followed up six and 12 months after any subsequent births and when their first child is four years old. Study instruments incorporate assessment of the frequency and severity of urinary and bowel symptoms, sexual health issues, perineal and abdominal pain, depression and intimate partner violence. Pregnancy and birth outcome data will be obtained by review of hospital case notes.

Discussion

Features of the study which distinguish it from prior research include: the capacity to identify incident cases of morbidity and clustering of health problems; a large enough sample to detect clinically important differences in maternal health outcomes associated with the method of birth; careful exposure measurement involving manual abstraction of data from medical records in order to explore mediating factors and possible causal pathways; and use of a variety of strategies to improve ascertainment of health outcomes.

Persistent urinary incontinence and delivery mode history: a six-year longitudinal study

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence of persistent and long term postpartum urinary incontinence and associations with mode of first and subsequent delivery.

DESIGN

Longitudinal study.

SETTING

Maternity units in Aberdeen (Scotland), Birmingham (England) and Dunedin (New Zealand).

POPULATION

Women (4214) who returned postal questionnaires three months and six years after the index birth.

METHODS

Symptom data were obtained from both questionnaires and obstetric data from case-notes for the index birth and the second questionnaire for subsequent births. Logistic regression investigated the independent effects of mode of first delivery and delivery mode history.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Urinary incontinence-persistent (at three months and six years after index birth) and long term (at six years after index birth).

RESULTS

The prevalence of persistent urinary incontinence was 24%. Delivering exclusively by caesarean section was associated with both less persistent (OR=0.46, 95% CI 0.32-0.68) and long term urinary incontinence (OR=0.50, 95% CI 0.40-0.63). Caesarean section birth in addition to vaginal delivery, however, was not associated with significantly less persistent incontinence (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.67-1.29). There were no significant associations between persistent or long term urinary incontinence and forceps or vacuum extraction delivery. Other significantly associated factors were increasing number of births and older maternal age.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk of persistent and long term urinary incontinence is significantly lower following caesarean section deliveries but not if there is another vaginal birth. Even when delivering exclusively by caesarean section, the prevalence of persistent symptoms (14%) is still high.

Patient choice cesarean: an evidence-based review

Primary elective cesarean performed on a patient's request now comprises 4% to 18% of all cesareans and 14% to 22% of elective cesareans in reported series. Patients most commonly choose cesarean because of tocophobia, or fear of childbirth. Almost two thirds of obstetricians surveyed are willing to perform cesarean on request, citing decreased risk of pelvic floor or fetal injury, maintenance of sexual functioning, and physician and patient convenience. Contrasting these beliefs are the limited available data on short- and long-term maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality that generally favor vaginal delivery. Moreover, comprehensive economic impact assessments of cesarean on request are lacking, and professional organizations do not agree on the ethics of offering patient choice cesarean.

TARGET AUDIENCE

Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Family Physicians.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

After completion of this article, the reader should be able to list the reasons that women and obstetricians choose elective cesarean delivery, to outline the ethical aspects of cesarean delivery, and to describe the material and fetal morbidity and mortality associated with cesarean delivery compared to vaginal delivery.