Postpartum urinary retention (ischuria, PUR) is the absence of spontaneous urination in a woman in labor more than 6 hours after the birth of a child or a condition in which the residual volume of urine after urination is less than 150 cm3. The ischuria pathophysiology is not fully understood, but there are several hypotheses that may cause the occurrence of urinary retention in the early postpartum period. For example, trauma to the pelvic floor muscles and innervation can lead to decreased bladder sensitivity, and swelling of the ureters and vagina after childbirth can lead to urinary tract obstruction. Despite the frequency of complications in the form of ischuria, the maternity hospital staff does not pay sufficient attention to screening for these problems in the early and late postpartum periods. This literature review examines risk factors, clinical presentation, prevention methods and examples of treatment for this dangerous complication.