Effects of lateral episiotomy on the emergence of urinary incontinence during the first postpartum year in primiparas: prospective cohort study

Scientific paper - Original scientific paper

• Author: Krešimir Živković
• Author: Slavko Orešković
• Author: Anis Cerovac
• Author: Milan Milošević
• Author: Ana Tikvica Luetić
• Author: Matija Prka
• Author: Dubravko Habek
• Author: David Lukanović
• Author: Giulia Spagnol
• Author: Nikica Živković
• Author's institution: University of Zagreb; School of Medicine; (Department of Environmental and Occupational Health)
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE; Clinical Medical Sciences; Gynecology and Obstetrics
• Scientific / art field, discipline and subdiscipline: BIOMEDICINE AND HEALTHCARE; Public Health and Health Care; Health Ecology

Abstract (english)

Aim of the study: Lateral episiotomy is a widely used procedure, although it is rarely mentioned in the literature and its effects on the pelvic floor are largely unexplored. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of lateral episiotomy on the incidence of urinary incontinence (UI) after vaginal delivery in primiparas.
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Material and methods: The study design is a prospective cohort study. The primiparas were divided into two groups. The first group consisted of women who gave birth with lateral episiotomy, while the second group included women who gave birth with an intact perineum or with perineal tears of first and second degree. Assessments of UI were performed at 5 and 8 months after childbirth using the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - Short Form (ICIQ-SF) questionnaire followed by the stress test.
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Results: The results revealed no significant differences (p > 0.05) in emergence of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) between the groups at the two time points. There were no statistically significant differences in overall rate of UI, urge urinary incontinence (UUI), or mixed urinary incontinence according to the ICIQ-SF questionnaire. The overall incontinence rate on the first examination was 24% in the episiotomy group and 36% in the perineal laceration group, although the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.064). On the second examination, rates were similar and without a statistically significant difference.
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Conclusions: Lateral episiotomy has a neutral effect on the onset of UI in primiparous women in the first year after delivery.

• Keywords (english): episiotomy; primiparas; urinary incontinence
• Language: english
• Publication type: Scientific paper - Original scientific paper
• Publication status: Published
• Peer review: Peer review
• Publication version: Published version
• Journal title: Menopausal Review
• Numbering: vol. 20, no. 4, pp. 163-169
• p-ISSN: 1643-8876
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.5114/pm.2021.110956
• URN:NBN: urn:nbn:hr:105:402558
• Publication: 2021-12
• Document URL: https://www.termedia.pl/doi/10.5114/pm.2021.110956
• Type of resource: Text
• Access conditions: Open access
• Created on: 2022-11-14 12:47:04