Pregnancy in spinal cord-injured women, a cohort study of 37 pregnancies in 25 women.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective observational study. OBJECTIVE: To describe specificities of pregnancy in a traumatic spinal cord-injured (SCI) population managed by a coordinated medical care team involving physical medicine and rehabilitation (PMR) physicians, urologists, infectious diseases' physicians, obstetricians and anaesthesiologists. SETTING: NeuroUrology Department in a University Hospital, France. METHODS: All consecutive SCI pregnant women managed between 2001 and 2014 were included. A preconceptional consultation was proposed whenever possible. Obstetrical and urological outcomes, delivery mode and complications were reported. RESULTS: Overall, thirty-seven pregnancies in 25 women, of a mean age of 32±4 years, were included. Thirty-five children were born alive (three miscarriages, a twin pregnancy) without complications except for a case of neonatal respiratory distress in premature twins born at 33 weeks. The mean birth weight was 2979±599 g. Twenty-one (57%) pregnancies benefited from preconceptional care. A weekly oral cyclic antibiotic programme was prescribed in 28 (75%) pregnancies. The main complications during pregnancy included pyelonephritis (30%), lower urinary tract infections (UTI) (32%), pressure sores (8.8%) and prematurity (12% deliveries before 37 weeks, with only one delivery before 36 weeks). Two patients suffered from autonomic dysreflexia, one with serious complication (brain haematoma). Caesarean sections were performed for 68% of deliveries (23/34) to prevent syringomyelia deterioration (n=10), stress urinary incontinence aggravation (n=3) or for obstetrical reasons (n=7). CONCLUSIONS: Mothers' and infants' outcomes were satisfying after pregnancy in SCI women, but required many adjustments. Pregnancy must be prepared by a preconceptional consultation, and managed by a multidisciplinary team involving specialists of neurological disability and pregnancy.

[Pregnancy and delivery for women with congenital spinal cord defects and neurogenic bladder]. / Conséquences urologiques de la grossesse et de l'accouchement chez les patientes porteuses d'une vessie neurologique par anomalie congénitale médullaire.

INTRODUCTION: Data are scarce regarding pregnancy and delivery among women with a neurogenic bladder due to congenital spinal cord defects. OBJECTIVE: To report the obstetrical and urological outcomes of women with congenital spinal cord defects and vesico-sphincteric disorders. METHODS: A retrospective multicentric study included all consecutive women with a neurogenic bladder due to congenital spinal defects, who delivered between January 2005 and December 2014. The following data were collected: demographics, neuro-urological disease characteristics, urological and obstetrical history, complications during pregnancy, neonatal outcomes, and changes in urological symptoms. RESULTS: Overall, sixteen women, median age 29,4 years old (IQR 22-36), had a total of 20 pregnancies and 21 births (15 caesareans, 5 vaginal deliveries). Prior to the beginning of their first pregnancy, 12 patients were under intermittent self-catheterization. Symptomatic urinary tract infections during pregnancy occurred in 11 pregnancies, including 4 pyelonephritis. In 4 women, stress urinary incontinence had worsened but recovered post-partum. In 3 women, de novo clean intermittent catheterization became necessary and had to be continued post-partum. During 3 pregnancies, anticholinergic treatment had been started or increased because of urge urinary incontinence worsened. These changes were maintained after delivery. The median gestational age at birth was 39.0 weeks (IQR 37.8-39.5). There were 15 caesarean sections, of which 9 were indicated to prevent a potential aggravation of vesico-sphincteric disorders. Among the 5 pregnancies with vaginal delivery, there was no post-partum alteration of the sphincter function. CONCLUSION: Successful pregnancy outcome is possible in women with congenital spinal cord defects and vesico-sphincteric disorders but it requires managing an increased risk of urinary tract infections, caesarean section, and occasionally worsened urinary incontinence. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 5.

[Pregnancy in women with spinal cord injuries: State of knowledge]. / Grossesse chez les femmes blessées médullaires : état des connaissances.

OBJECTIVES: Updating knowledge of health professionals about pregnant women with spinal cord injuries. Development of maternity hospitals to make them accessible to spinal cord injured pregnant women to improve their care in pre-, per- and post-partum. METHODS: Cross-sectional declarative study based on a questionnaire distributed to health professionals in the maternity hospital of the University Hospital of Nantes and liberal midwives of Nantes conurbation, based on their knowledge, their difficulties and their expectations for obstetrical care for spinal cord injured women. An inventory was carried out in parallel at the maternity hospital of the University Hospital of Nantes. RESULTS: Seventy-two percent of health professionals surveyed rated their level of knowledge on spinal cord injuries insufficient or even non-existent. Among the professionals, 84.8% said they encountered difficulties to take care of spinal cord injured women. The main cited difficulty relates to unsuitable equipment or premises, obstacle indeed found during the inventory made on the maternity hospital. CONCLUSION: Several proposals are being considered, including specific trainings, the execution of a management protocol for spinal cord injured women, the establishment of a situation's form of handicap, the layout of the maternity hospitals premises, and finally, the creation of reference's centers in the region to optimize the follow-up of these patients.