[Genital prognosis of girls with bladder exstrophy or epispadias]

The authors report ten cases of women with previous exstrophy of the bladder or epispadias with incontinence followed up to child-bearing age. Six of the ten females had urinary diversion and four retained their bladder and were continent. Three key aspects are considered: physical appearance of the external genitalia which was satisfactory in all cases; preservation of sexual function, known in only four of the ten cases and which was reported by these patients to be satisfactory, and finally, the ability to bear children. Three patients became pregnant resulting in four normal births (one patient had twins). Cesarean sections were recommended in patients with pregnancies at term. Cesarean should be performed systematically in patients with bladder reconstruction.