Risk factors in prolonged postpartum urinary retention: an analysis of six cases.
OBJECTIVE
Prolonged first and second stage of labor, isolated prolongation of the second stage, forceps delivery or vacuum extraction, perineal laceration, nulliparity and epidural anesthesia are known risk factors for developing prolonged postpartum urinary retention (PUR). The aim of our study was to analyze number and constellations of these risk factors, in prolonged postpartum urinary retention (PPUR) in our own unit to facilitate the identification of patients at high risk and thus to prevent bladder overdistension by early intervention.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective analysis of all our cases with PPUR between 2003 and 2008 including variables like age weight, height, body mass index, fetal birth weight and head circumference.


RESULTS
The incidence of PPUR at our institution is low being 0.06%. No woman combined all six risk factors. The majority had five risk factors, all had at least four. An isolated prolonged second stage of labor was common to all patients with PPUR. Five women had an epidural anesthesia, three were nulliparous and only two women delivered spontaneously. All but one woman suffered from perineal tears. Interestingly, fetal head circumference was larger than 36 cm in four of six cases.


CONCLUSIONS
In contrast to simple PUR, the prolonged form of PUR could be the result of a cumulative effect of different single risk factors.
Humburg
Joerg
J
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Women's Hospital, Spitalstrasse Basel, Switzerland. jhumburg@uhbs.ch
Troeger
Carolyn
C
Holzgreve
Wolfgang
W
Hoesli
Irene
I
D000328:Adult; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural; D001724:Birth Weight; D015992:Body Mass Index; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric; D004841:Episiotomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007748:Labor Stage, Second; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications; D010298:Parity; D010502:Perineum / Q000293:injuries; D011247:Pregnancy; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D016055:Urinary Retention / Q000209:etiology*