Symptoms of anal and urinary incontinence following cesarean section or spontaneous vaginal delivery.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The objective of the study was to compare the prevalence of incontinence disorders in relation with spontaneous vaginal delivery or cesarean section.

STUDY DESIGN:

Two hundred women with spontaneous vaginal deliveries only were compared with 195 women with cesarean deliveries only 10 years after first delivery.

RESULTS:

When compared with cesarean section, vaginal delivery was associated with an increased frequency of stress urinary incontinence (P = .006) and an increased use of protective pads (P = .008) as well as an increased frequency of fecal urgency (P = .048) and gas incontinence (P = .01). At multivariate regression analysis, mode of delivery showed no significant association with incontinence symptoms other than an increased risk for flatus incontinence in women with a history of obstetric anal sphincter injury (odds ratio 3.1; 95% confidence interval, 1.5 to 8.9).

CONCLUSION:

Incontinence symptoms are more common following spontaneous vaginal delivery when compared with cesarean section 10 years after first delivery. However, cesarean section is not associated with a major reduction of anal and urinary incontinence.

• Authors: Daniel Altman, Asa Ekström, Catharina Forsgren, Johan Nordenstam, Jan Zetterström
• Journal: American journal of obstetrics and gynecology (Am J Obstet Gynecol) Vol. 197 Issue 5 Pg. 512.e1-7 (Nov 2007) ISSN: 1097-6868 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 17980192 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Adult
• Cesarean Section
• Delivery, Obstetric
• Fecal Incontinence (epidemiology)
• Female
• Humans
• Incidence
• Middle Aged
• Multivariate Analysis
• Perineum (injuries)
• Puerperal Disorders (epidemiology)
• Rupture
• Urinary Incontinence (epidemiology)