Postpartum urinary incontinence

doi:10.1136/bmj.324.7348.1227

BMJ 2002;324:1227-1228 ( 25 May )

Editorials

Postpartum urinary incontinence

The problem is clear, but there is no simple solution

Papers p 1241

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Postpartum urinary incontinence is an important and often overlooked form of maternal morbidity. In this issue Chiarelli andCockburn (p 1241)¹ highlight and confirm the work of otherinvestigators who have shown that vaginal delivery induces urinaryincontinence, especially the first vaginal birth.² Many clinicalstudies have attempted to discover the particular obstetric eventthat causes the incontinence. The obvious suspects include largebabies and "difficult deliveries" marked by lengthy pushing phaseswith or without instrumentation. No clear single event has beenfound to be responsible, suggesting that postpartum urinary incontinencearises from a multifactorial physiological insult. The consequencesof this pathophysiology are not limited to urinary incontinence.Pelvic organ prolapse (cystocele, rectocele, and uterine prolapse)and anal incontinence are also troublesome sequelae of vaginaldelivery. These prevalent pelvic problems receive even less thanthe scant attention paid to postpartum urinary incontinence. ³ ⁴

While the problem is clear, there is . . . [Full text of this article]

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Promoting urinary continence in women after delivery: randomised controlled trial: Pauline Chiarelli and Jill Cockburn
BMJ 2002 324: 1241. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

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