Bladder function recovery after postpartum urinary retention: a longitudinal qualitative study

Postpartum urinary retention is a common obstetric complication, yet existing research has predominantly focused on its epidemiology and clinical management, with limited attention to women’s subjective experiences throughout the recovery trajectory. Women who experienced postpartum urinary retention were recruited and underwent three rounds of semi-structured interviews: at 24 h (T1), 7 days (T2), and 42 days (T3) postpartum. Data were analyzed using a longitudinal thematic analysis approach, combining cross-sectional thematic analysis at each time point with a trajectory analysis of individual narratives to capture dynamic changes in participants’ recovery experiences. A total of 18 participants completed all three interview rounds, yielding 54 interviews. Based on self-reported symptoms at the 42-day postpartum follow-up, participants were grouped into three categories: complete recovery ( n = 11), stress urinary incontinence ( n = 4), and urge urinary incontinence ( n = 3). From the longitudinal analysis, three cross-time trajectories were identified: normalization, signalization, and unresolved uncertainty. Recovery from postpartum urinary retention is a dynamic process, and early symptom perceptions and 42-day outcomes did not map neatly onto each other. Three recovery trajectories were identified. Normalization was characteristic of those who recovered, whereas signalization and unresolved uncertainty were observed among women who reported urinary incontinence, without a consistent association with incontinence type. Participants also reported receiving little information about postpartum bladder health, suggesting the need for clearer antenatal and postnatal education.