Influencing Factors in Urinary Retention in Parturients With Epidural Anesthesia Following Term Vaginal Birth

Background: Epidural analgesia is a widely employed method in obstetric care for labor pain management. Postpartum urinary retention is a common complication that can arise during the postnatal period. This study aimed to evaluate the current status and influencing factors of postpartum urinary retention in parturients who received epidural anesthesia. Methods: We retrospectively included parturients who underwent vaginal delivery at our institution from June 2022 to October 2024. The characteristics of parturients with and without postpartum urinary retention were analyzed and compared. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to evaluate the influencing factors of postpartum urinary retention. Results: This study enrolled a cohort consisting of 520 parturients who underwent epidural anesthesia, resulting in a total of 520 instances of childbirth. Among this population, 56 parturients were identified as experiencing postpartum urinary retention. The incidence of postpartum urinary retention in parturients with epidural anesthesia was 10.77%. Correlation analysis results showed that the parity (r = 0.582), duration of analgesia (r = 0.554), degree of perineal laceration (r = 0.656) and use of oxytocin (r = 0.580) were correlated with the occurrence of postpartum urinary retention among parturients with epidural anesthesia (all p < .05). Logistic regression analysis indicated that parity (OR = 2.587, 95% CI: 1.890∼3.225), duration of analgesia (OR = 2.778, 95% CI: 2.104∼3.467), degree of perineal laceration (OR = 3.265, 95% CI: 2.620∼3.815) and use of oxytocin (OR = 2.436, 95% CI: 1.909∼3.875) were the independent influencing factors of postpartum urinary retention (all p < .05). Conclusion: It is imperative that clinical healthcare providers implement targeted preventative and management strategies to reduce postpartum urinary retention.