children s health issues
Urethra Defects
Types of Birth Defects of the Urethra
There are several types of birth defects of the urethra. The urethra may be Partially blocked In the wrong place Bulging out from its opening (prolapsed urethra) Duplicated (two or more urethras instead of just one) These defects may Block the flow of urine Cause urine to come out from the wrong location Any urethra defect that blocks or slows the flow of urine can cause urine to become stagnant, which can result in Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) in Children (UTIs). Blockage of urine flow also can raise the pressure inside the bladder and/or kidneys and damage them over time. Frequent infections also can damage the kidneys. Kidney damage can cause Several birth defects partially block the urethra. folds of abnormal tissue in the urethra block the flow of urine from the bladder. Posterior urethral valves occur only in boys. The blockage increases the pressure in the bladder and can cause difficulty urinating and a weak urine stream. In more severe forms, the blockage affects the developing fetus. The increased urine pressure from the blockage can interfere with development of the bladder and kidneys. The blockage also may reduce the amount of urine the fetus releases into the amniotic fluid (the fluid that surrounds the fetus in the uterus). If the fetus does not release enough urine into the amniotic fluid, the amount of amniotic fluid is reduced. If there is too little amniotic fluid, problems occur with the development of the fetus's lungs, Overview of Heart Defects , and is a narrowing of the urethra that is usually caused by an injury, most commonly a crush injury that occurs when boys fall straddling a hard object. Sometimes urethral stricture is a birth defect or occurs after surgical repair is done to correct a defect of the penis called Hypospadias . It is more common among boys. Inurethral meatal stenosis,the outside opening of the urethra (meatus) is narrow and decreases and misdirects the flow of urine. This occurs mostly in boys who previously had surgery on their penis or were circumcised as newborns. The opening of the urethra may be in the wrong place. the opening of the urethra may be on the underside of the penis (called Hypospadias ) or on the topside of the penis (called In girls,the opening of the urethra may be misplaced between the clitoris and the labia, inside the opening of the vagina, or rarely on the abdomen. Urethral prolapse occurs in girls. In this disorder, the inner lining of the urethra sticks out through the opening of the urethra. When urethral prolapse occurs, the opening of the urethra looks like a small red and swollen donut. Urethral prolapse typically does not cause symptoms, but the prolapsed tissue may bleed, causing blood spots on the girl's diaper or underwear. This disorder is common among Black girls. Rarely, children are born with two or more urethras. Usually only one of them is connected to the bladder, but sometimes they are all connected to the bladder or to each other. 