Risk of new-onset urinary incontinence after forceps and vacuum delivery in primiparous women.

Abstract

We sought to determine the incidence of new-onset urinary incontinence after forceps and vacuum delivery compared with spontaneous vaginal delivery. We performed a prospective study in primiparous women delivered by forceps (n = 90), vacuum (n = 75), or spontaneous vaginal delivery (n = 150). Follow-up for urinary incontinence was at 2 weeks, 3 months, and 1 year after delivery. The incidence of urinary incontinence was similar in the 3 groups at 2 weeks after delivery. The proportion of women developing new-onset urinary incontinence decreased significantly over time in the spontaneous vaginal (P =.003) and vacuum delivery groups (P =.009) but not in the forceps group (P =.2). No relationship of urinary incontinence with vaginal lacerations, epidural anesthesia, length of second stage of labor, or infant birth weight was seen. In primiparous women, urinary incontinence after forceps delivery is more likely to persist compared with spontaneous vaginal or vacuum delivery.