The following is a summary of “Risk Factors for postpartum stress urinary incontinence: a prospective study,” published in the February 2024 issue of Urology by Liu et al.
This study aimed to understand the risk factors associated with postpartum stress urinary incontinence (SUI), a prevalent issue impacting women’s health and overall well-being. Researchers conducted a comprehensive analysis encompassing pelvic floor ultrasound measurements and clinical data to elucidate the relative importance of each factor. The investigation involved pregnant women who gave birth in the hospital between March 2021 and January 2022. Clinical and anatomical data from individuals with SUI and those without were meticulously gathered and scrutinized. The study group identified key risk factors linked to postpartum SUI through rigorous univariate and multivariate analyses. Logistic regression analysis revealed that advancing age (OR: 1.215, 95% CI: 1.097–1.346, p < 0.001), vaginal delivery (OR: 3.05, 95% CI: 1.328–7.016, p < 0.009), parity (OR: 3.059, 95% CI: 1.506–6.216, p < 0.002), bladder neck descent (OR: 4.159, 95% CI: 2.010–8.605, p < 0.001), and the angle of the internal urethral orifice funnel (OR: 1.133, 95% CI: 1.091–1.176, p < 0.001) emerged as significant independent risk factors for postpartum SUI (all p < 0.05). Furthermore, the model exhibited a robust discriminatory ability with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.883 (95% CI: 0.839–0.926).
In conclusion, their findings underscore the critical role of age, mode of delivery, parity, bladder neck descent, and urethral orifice angle as determinants of postpartum SUI. Early identification of these high-risk factors during pregnancy and postpartum periods is essential for preventive strategies, advocating for timely postpartum pelvic floor rehabilitation interventions.
Source: bmcurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12894-024-01430-x