Postpartum Urinary Retention after Vaginal Delivery: Frequency and Associated Factors from a Tertiary Care Hospital, Larkana, Pakistan

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of postpartum urinary retention (PPUR) and its concomitant factors among women after vaginal delivery at a tertiary care hospital in Pakistan.
Study Design: A cross-sectional descriptive study.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shaikh Zaid Women Hospital, Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University (SMBBMU), Larkana, Karachi, Pakistan, from January 2025 to June 2025.
Methods: 231 women were enrolled in this study, aged 18-45 years and at 32-37 weeks' gestation, who underwent vaginal delivery. Women with postpartum hemorrhage, renal disease, Urinary Tract Infections, and other chronic comorbidities were excluded. Postpartum urinary retention is the inability to void urine during the first 6 hours after delivery or post-void residual bladder volume ≥150 mL assessed by ultrasound. Data were analyzed using SPSS 20; Chi-Square tests were applied, with P ≤ 0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results: The mean maternal age was 28.08 ± 5.68 years. Overall, 18.6% (43/231) of women developed postpartum urinary retention. Frequency was significantly higher among obese (P=0.0005), hypertensive (P=0.0005), anemic (P=0.0005), pre-eclamptic (P=0.0005), and smoking women (P=0.001). The study findings highlight that maternal comorbidities (obesity, hypertension, pre-eclampsia, anemia, and smoking) were the strongest predictors of PPUR, while sociodemographic variables did not significantly influence its occurrence.
Conclusion: Postpartum urinary retention is a clinically relevant problem following vaginal delivery, with obesity, hypertension, anemia, pre-eclampsia, and smoking as significant risk factors. Vigilant bladder care during labor, proactive postpartum monitoring, and early intervention when required can reduce complications and improve maternal outcomes.

How to cite this: Soomro K, Ayoub N, Javed S, Yasmin, Parveen A, Abro SH. Postpartum Urinary Retention after Vaginal Delivery:
Frequency and Associated Factors from a Tertiary Care Hospital, Larkana, Pakistan. Life and Science. 2026; 7(1): 118-122. doi:
http://doi.org/10.37185/LnS.1.1.1021