[Postpartum urinary retention]. / Rétention vésicale du post-partum.

Postpartum urinary retention is an uncommon event that occurs in 0.7 to 0.9% of vaginal deliveries. An ignorance of this situation can lead to delayed diagnosis worsening the prognosis and to inadequate treatments. This complication is defined as the absence of spontaneous micturition within 6hours of vaginal delivery with a bladder volume above 400mL. The etiology depends on multiple factors. Because of physiological changes during pregnancy, the bladder is hypotonic with an increased post-void residual volume. The occurrence of a perineal neuropathy during delivery may cause a urinary retention. Risk factors are primiparity, prolonged labour, instrumental delivery and perineal lacerations. Treatment consists on clean intermittent catheterization and recovery occurs generally in 72hours. Persistent urinary retention is the principal short-term complication and should be treated by clean intermittent self-catheterization. Long-term consequences are poorly reported in the literature.

[Delivery of twins]. / Mode d'accouchement des grossesses gémellaires.

The assessment of optimal delivery for twin gestations is complex due to the relatively high frequency of obstetrical complications and to the heterogeneity of delivery management in these conditions. The extern validity of the Anglo-Saxon studies is limited in particular because delivery management of the second twin (approach of external cephalic version) differs from the French one (approach of internal version and/or total breech extraction) in cases of non-vertex second twin. Anglo-Saxon studies suggest that a planned vaginal delivery is associated to an increased risk of neonatal morbidity for second twin compared to first twin at term, in particular in cases of combined vaginal-cesarean birth. To reduce the interval twin-to-twin delivery interval and the number of combined vaginal-cesarean births, in our opinion, one must stop to perform external cephalic version and recommend a routinely active management for the second non-vertex twin delivery. With this active management, there is no evidence to support planned cesarean section for twins. Nevertheless, active management requires training as internal version might be difficult to perform, and therefore it is essential to pursue to teach junior obstetrician these obstetric maneuvers. There is limited role for trial of labor after cesarean delivery in twin gestation with a policy of active management.

[Prevention of spontaneous preterm birth in asymptomatic twin pregnancies]. / Prévention de la prématurité spontanée chez les grossesses gémellaires asymptomatiques.

OBJECTIVES: To determine prenatal methods to predict and prevent spontaneous preterm birth in asymptomatic twin pregnancies. METHODS: Articles were searched using PubMed, Embase and Cochrane library. RESULTS: Uterine activity monitoring and bacterial vaginosis screening are not useful to predict preterm birth (EL2 and EL3 respectively). Current literature data are contradictory and insufficient to determine whether fetal fibronectin and digital cervical assessment are predictors of preterm birth. History of preterm birth (EL4), and cervical length measurement by transvaginal ultrasonography (EL2) predict preterm birth. Nevertheless, there are no intervention studies that have evaluated cervical length measurement in the prevention of preterm birth. Hospital bedrest, prophylactic tocolytic and progesterone therapy, and prophylactic cervical cerclage in patients with or without short cervix have not been shown to be effective in preventing preterm birth. CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal methods to prevent spontaneous preterm birth in asymptomatic twin pregnancies are currently very limited.