urinary tract involution postpartum
Last edited 11/2019
The delivery of the baby may cause some trauma to the bladder base and lead to bruising, oedema and some detrusor hypotonia which may lead to difficulty in voiding. It is important not to let the bladder become overdistended because urine retention further compounds the loss of tone. The severity of these problems are increased if an epidural or forceps were used during delivery. The patient may have to be catheterized in order to try and prevent these problems occurring.
A marked diuresis occurs in the first few days after pregnancy as there is a transfer of fluids from the cellular to vascular compartments. The ureters may remain dilated for up to 3 months after pregnancy.