Antenatally Diagnosed Posterior Urethral Valves: A Dilemma

Posterior urethral valves are the commonest cause of lower urinary tract obstruction (LUTO) diagnosed in the male fetus in the antenatal and immediate postnatal period. The estimated incidence of this condition was thought to be 1 in 10,000 deliveries. However more recent studies have suggested that the incidence could be higher at about 1in 2500 – 5000 [1] and this appears to be due to the widespread use of high resolution antenatal ultrasonography.