Epidural anesthesia during labor and stress incontinence after delivery
Viktrup, L.; Lose, G.
Obstetrics and Gynecology 82(6): 984-986
1993
ISSN/ISBN: 0029-7844 PMID: 8233276 Document Number: 413543
Objective: To test the hypothesis that epidural anesthesia during labor prevents the development of stress incontinence after vaginal birth. Methods: We interviewed 208 primiparas about stress incontinence 3 months postpartum. The women who developed stress incontinence after delivery were interviewed again 1 year postpartum. Results: Twelve of 45 women (27%) who had epidural anesthesia developed stress incontinence de novo after vaginal delivery, versus 21 of 163 (13%) who did not receive epidural anesthesia, a marginally significant difference (P = .05). Those who had epidural anesthesia also had a significantly longer first stage of labor. One year after delivery, three of 42 (7%) in the epidural anesthesia group had stress incontinence, compared with five of 163 (3%) in the control group. Conclusion: Our results do not support the hypothesis that epidural anesthesia protects against the development of stress incontinence after vaginal delivery.