Background and Objectives: Minimally invasive procedures, such as double-J ureteric stenting, could be a promising therapeutic alternative to conservative management of obstructive urinary tract pathology. We aimed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of double-J ureteric stenting in pregnant women with ureterohydronephrosis or urolithiasis, along with their infectious complications, and to assess the pregnancy outcomes of this cohort of patients in comparison with a control group. Materials and Methods: This observational retrospective study included 52 pregnant patients who underwent double-J ureteric stenting for urologic disorders in the Urology Department of ‘C.I. Parhon’ University Hospital, and who were followed up at a tertiary maternity hospital- ‘Cuza-Voda’, Iasi, Romania. The control group (63 patients) was randomly selected from the patient’s cohort who gave birth in the same time frame at the maternity hospital, without urinary pathology. Clinical, sonographic, and laboratory variables were examined. Descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, and a one-to-one propensity score-matched analysis were used to analyze our data. Results: The univariate analysis indicated a significant statistical difference between the control group and the interventional group regarding maternal age (p = 0.018), previous maternal history of renal colic (p = 0.005) or nephrolithiasis (p = 0.002). After applying the propensity score-matched analysis, cesarean delivery rates (p < 0.001), preterm labour (p = 0.039), premature rupture of membranes (p = 0.026), preterm birth rates (p = 0.002), and post-partum UTI rates (p = 0.012) were significantly different between the control group and the matched treatment group. Ureterohydronephrosis, whether simple (n = 37; 71.2%) or infected (n = 13; 25%), was the main indication for double-J ureteric stenting. Complications such as pain (n = 21; 40.3%), stent migration (n = 3; 5.76%) or encrustation (n = 2; 3.84%), as well as reflux pyelonephritis (n = 2; 3.84%) and gross hematuria (n = 1; 1.92%) were recorded during follow-up. Conclusions: Our results show that double-J stenting is a safe and effective treatment option for pregnant patients with obstructive urological disorders.
Keywords: double-J stent; pregnancy; pyelonephritis; ureterohydronephrosis; urolithiasis; urosepsis.