Pregnancy in Pateints With Exstrophy-Epispadias Complex: Are Higher Rates of Complications and Spontaneous Abortion Inevitable?

OBJECTIVE

To report on the characteristics of pregnancy in female patients with EEC (exstrophy-epispadias complex), determining in particular whether they are at higher risk of spontaneous abortion or complications.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

Fifty patients diagnosed with EEC and treated in a reference center for this pathology were reviewed. Those with an incomplete medical history were excluded, leaving a total of 37 women with a median follow-up of 26 years (1-48 years). The outcome measurements were successful pregnancies, miscarriages, urological, gynecological and obstetric complications, impaired renal function, newborn characteristics, and postpartum urogynecological complications. Descriptive statistics was used.

RESULTS

Eight patients achieved 17 pregnancies (88.2% spontaneous). Of these pregnancies, 10 (58.8%) were successful, while 7 (41.2%) terminated in miscarriages. Urinary tract infection (UTI) was the most frequent complication (41.6%) and intestinal occlusion was the most severe. A total of 62.5% of the patients presented genital prolapses after pregnancies. A total of 85.7% of patients were dry during the follow-up after their pregnancies. No newborn presented EEC or any other type of malformation. Our study has the limitation of being a retrospective review of a very heterogeneous and small group of patients.

CONCLUSION

EEC patients can achieve spontaneous pregnancies but have an increased risk of miscarriage. For this reason, monitoring and control by a specialized and integrated multidisciplinary team is required to minimize complications.