title: Does epidural analgesia play a role in postpartum urinary incontinence? Medium-term results from a case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the medium-term effect of epidural analgesia (EA) on the possible onset of postpartum urinary incontinence (PUI).
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a single-centre, retrospective case-control study. At 8-week postpartum, we recruited a cohort of women who had term singleton pregnancy and foetus in cephalic presentation, and divided in six groups: (1) vaginal delivery without episiotomy, without EA; (2) vaginal delivery without episiotomy, with EA; (3) vaginal delivery with episiotomy, without EA; (4) vaginal delivery with episiotomy, with EA; (5) emergency caesarean section without previous EA during labour and (6) emergency caesarean section with previous EA during labour. For each woman, we recorded age, Body Mass Index (BMI) and the result of the following questionnaire for urinary incontinence: International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form (ICIQ-SF), Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-7 (IIQ-7) and Urogenital Distress Inventory-6 (UDI-6). Subsequently, we compared group 1 versus group 2, group 3 versus group 4 and group 5 versus group 6.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We did not evidence any significant difference for age, BMI and incontinence scores between groups 1 and 2, 3 and 4, and 5 and 6.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EA did not affect the onset of PUI in medium-term, regardless the mode of delivery.
authors.affiliation: a School of Midwifery .
authors.forename: Maria Adriana
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Burgio
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pediatric, Gynecological, Microbiological and Biomedical Sciences .
authors.forename: Antonio Simone
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Laganà
authors.affiliation: c Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatric and Anaesthesiological Sciences , and.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chillè
authors.affiliation: a School of Midwifery .
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sicilia
authors.affiliation: d Department of Urology , University of Messina , Messina , Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Magno
authors.affiliation: d Department of Urology , University of Messina , Messina , Italy.
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Butticè
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pediatric, Gynecological, Microbiological and Biomedical Sciences .
authors.forename: Vittorio Italo
authors.initials: VI
authors.lastname: Palmara
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pediatric, Gynecological, Microbiological and Biomedical Sciences .
authors.forename: Onofrio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Triolo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015360:Analgesia, Epidural / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011644:Puerperal Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000209:etiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Epidural analgesia; Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-7; Incontinence Questionnaire Short Form; Urogenital Distress Inventory-6; postpartum urinary incontinence