At 6–8 weeks postpartum, a single-center retrospective cohort found similar pelvic-floor outcomes among 200 first-time vaginal-birth participants who did or did not receive labor epidural analgesia. Among 191 outcome records, urinary incontinence appeared in 29.79% of the epidural group and 24.74% of the non-epidural group; pelvic organ prolapse appeared in 19.15% and 12.37%. The group differences were not statistically significant. 1
Labor epidural analgesia was associated with longer labor and more oxytocin use in this dataset. The study was retrospective, single-center, and limited to 6–8 weeks of follow-up, so the results describe an early association and leave long-term recovery and causal effects open. 1
Leaking, vaginal heaviness, a bulge, bladder difficulty, constipation, or pain can be reasons to ask for an assessment. NHS guidance lists pelvic-floor physiotherapy among treatment options for pelvic organ prolapse. 2
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