Risks of stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse surgery in relation to mode of childbirth.

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the risk for stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse surgery related to vaginal birth or cesarean delivery.

STUDY DESIGN

A cohort study of all women having their first and all subsequent deliveries by cesarean (n = 33,167), and an age-matched sample of women only having vaginal deliveries (n = 63,229) between 1973 and 1983. Hazard ratios were calculated using Cox regression models with 95% confidence intervals.

RESULTS

Women only having vaginal deliveries had increased overall risks of incontinence (hazard ratio, 2.9; 95% confidence interval, 2.4-3.6) and prolapse surgery (hazard ratio, 9.2; 95% confidence interval, 7.0-12.1) compared with women only having cesarean deliveries.

CONCLUSION

Having only vaginal childbirths was associated with a significantly increased risk of stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse surgery later in life compared with only having cesarean deliveries.