Intermittent urinary retention secondary to a uterine leiomyoma

Urinary retention rarely affects reproductive-age women. In obstructive retention, the source must be determined and then removed to allow the patient to void normally. The most common causes of obstructive retention are gynecologic surgery and pelvic masses. Two women with intermittent urinary retention were evaluated in our clinic. Case 1 was a 48-year-old patient who voided frequently to avoid urinary retention. She had an ultrasound showing a large posterior leiomyoma. Case 2 was a 49-year-old female who presented with urinary retention during her menses. Magnetic resonance imaging result showed a large posterior leiomyoma deflecting the cervix anteriorly. Both women’s urinary retention completely resolved after a total abdominal hysterectomy. Uterine leiomyomas may be the cause of urinary retention in reproductive-age females without other etiologies.