What are congenital urinary abnormalities?
In some situations, urinary abnormalities can be congenital, meaning you are born with it. These birth defects can involve the urinary and genital systems and can occur during pregnancy or in early infancy.
What are common congenital urinary abnormalities?
Some of the most common congenital abnormalities that are seen, include:
- Undescended testicles occur when the testicles do not move down to the scrotum prior to birth. While most will descend in the first six months following birth, some may remain in the groin area and require surgery.
- Hydronephrosis is when the tube connecting the kidney and bladder becomes blocked due to a valve not working. This blockage occurs during fetal development and causes the kidneys to swell and can lead to kidney damage if not treated.
- Spina bifida is a birth defect in which the spinal cord, its meninges, or brain don’t develop completely during fetal development. This can cause paralysis, resulting in bladder or bowel dysfunction.
- Hypospadias affects male infants and is when the opening for the urethra is located on the bottom or underside of the penis instead of the tip. Additional conditions associated with this diagnosis can also include a curved penis or undescended testicles.
If congenital conditions aren’t addressed in childhood, some patients may experience difficulties throughout adulthood, including ongoing urinary tract infections, damaged urinary organs, or renal failure.
It’s important to have open conversations with your provider about any congenital diagnosis and the treatment plan associated with it. Many times, the treatment for such abnormalities is an interdisciplinary approach, including providers and experts from different departments. At The Iowa Clinic, we want to help make the treatment process seamless and effective for all of our patients. To reach our urology department, please call 515.875.9000.