PREGNANCY IN PATIENTS WITH THE ARTIFICIAL URINARY SPHINCTER

Since 1974, 71 female patients between 3 and 25 years old have undergo ne implantation of the artificial urinary sphincter for treatment of u rinary incontinence. Of these women 9 have become pregnant and deliver ed 11 normal children. In 2 women the artificial urinary sphincter was removed because of erosion before conceiving, while the remaining 7 h ad a functional artificial urinary sphincter in place at conception, a nd subsequent pregnancy and delivery. All 11 women had normal pregnanc ies and, aside from the normally increased frequency of urination and a slight increase in urinary leakage due to elevated pressure on the b ladder from the adjacent uterus, the urinary continence was unchanged. Of the women 4 underwent cesarean section at the advice of their obst etricians and the remainder had uneventful vaginal deliveries. During the course of the pregnancies the patients or their obstetricians cons ulted 1 of us for advice regarding management of the delivery because of the presence of the artificial urinary sphincter. The normalcy of t he pregnancies and deliveries led us to conclude that the presence of a functioning artificial urinary sphincter did not increase the risk o f complications during pregnancy and childbearing.