Single Catheterization for Preventing Postpartum Urinary Retention in Early Postpartum Voiding Failure: A Propensity...

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Urology
• Postpartum Care

Background:

• Postpartum urinary retention (PUR) is a common complication.
• Evidence on the efficacy of single postpartum catheterization for preventing PUR is limited.
• Early voiding failure is defined by bladder volume ≥ 300 mL and inability to void spontaneously.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effectiveness of single postpartum catheterization in preventing PUR.
• To analyze the impact of catheterization on overt and covert PUR subtypes.
• To assess secondary outcomes including spontaneous voiding and induced voiding attempts.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study utilizing real-world data.
• Comparison between single catheterization and non-catheterization groups.
• Stabilized inverse probability of treatment weighting (sIPTW) for confounder adjustment.

Main Results:

• Single catheterization was associated with significantly lower risks of overall PUR and covert PUR.
• No significant association was found with overt PUR, indwelling catheterization, or spontaneous voiding in the primary analysis (within 3 hours).
• Within 2 hours postpartum, single catheterization also reduced the risk of indwelling catheterization and the number of induced voiding attempts.

Conclusions:

• Single postpartum catheterization is effective in reducing PUR and covert PUR in women with early voiding failure.
• Performing catheterization within 2 hours postpartum offers additional benefits, including reduced need for indwelling catheters.
• Prospective studies are needed to validate these observational findings.