Female External Catheter Market By Product Type (Single-Use Catheters, Reusable Catheters, Disposable Catheters, Pre-Lubricated Catheters, Non-Lubricated Catheters), By Material (Silicone, Latex, PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), Foam, Hydrophilic Coated Materials), By Application (Urinary Incontinence, Post-Surgical Care, Spinal Cord Injury Management, Neurological Disorders, Pregnancy-Related Incontinence), By Distribution Channel (Direct Sales, Online Retail, Pharmacies, Medical Supply Stores, Others), By End-User (Hospitals and Clinics, Home Care Settings, Nursing Homes, Ambulatory Surgical Centers, Long-Term Care Facilities, Rehabilitation Centers), Global Market Size, Segmental Analysis, Regional Overview, Company Share Analysis, Leading Company Profiles, And Market Forecast, 2025 – 2035.

Industry Outlook

The Female External Catheter market accounted for USD 1.32 Billion in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 2.48 Billion by 2035, growing at a CAGR of around 5.9 % between 2025 and 2035. The female external catheter market consists of devices that assist women through urinary incontinence management and external urine collection while avoiding surgical interventions. The product features an external placement across the urethra, which connects to drainage bags, as it presents a solution instead of conventional incontinence pads. Female external catheters have become standard components in hospital settings alongside nursing homes and home care applications.

The growing sensitivity of women towards urinary incontinence has expanded the market, particularly in developed nations. Modern materials combined with improved designs have led to more favorable and sanitary as well as inconspicuous external catheters. Such healthcare products supply crucial benefits to all women with walking restrictions or who cannot access standard devices. The increasing number of elderly people worldwide combined with rising knowledge about female incontinence will result in persisting market demand for these devices.

Report Scope:

Market Dynamics

The rising prevalence of urinary incontinence among women increases the demand for external catheters.

The market demand for female external catheters increases due to the rising numbers of women who experience urinary incontinence. Women have pelvic floor issues, menopause, and aging after developing urine incontinence as a result of childbirth. Research by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows urinary incontinence affects about 30 to 40 percent of women worldwide, although the elderly woman population reveals rising numbers. This condition's increasing weight in the population drives up external catheter demand because they represent a gentle method to gather urine outside the body. External catheters decrease UTI risks better than indwelling catheters, so they provide the patient with more protection against infections. Increased knowledge about hygiene and skin comfort leads to quicker adoption of female external catheters among the patient population. The establishment of home care services together with new long-term care facilities built for elderly and immobile patients serves to increase the market demand for these products. The female external catheters market shows strong growth potential because urinary incontinence incidence keeps increasing.

Growing adoption of non-invasive urine collection methods enhances patient comfort and hygiene

Female external catheters have gained substantial market demand because they deliver both comfort and hygiene benefits, which facilitates increased use of non-invasive urine collection techniques. External catheters differ from indwelling catheters since they rest outside the body to reduce both UTIs and discomfort levels. Hospital-acquired urinary tract infections affecting 75% of patients stem from indwelling catheter usage as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Therefore, safer catheter alternatives remain essential. Better skin health occurs through female external catheters since they reduce prolonged moisture contact, which prevents disorders such as skin breakdown and irritation. These catheters provide easy installation and disposability alongside silicone materials that preserve skin comfort. The use of non-invasive external catheters grows in popularity because they suit elderly people and post-surgical female patients. The market is growing because healthcare providers actively support external catheter adoption as it improves both patient sanitary conditions and lowers infection chances.

High cost of advanced external catheters limits affordability in low-income regions.

The Female External Catheter Market faces a major barrier due to the expensive nature of advanced female external catheters, which creates accessibility issues for low-income regions. Premium medical catheters built from hydrophilic materials and silicone building blocks were designed to support better patient comfort and protect skin tissue while reducing infection risks. The advanced external female catheters exist at prices that reduce the number of patients who can access them in underserved areas.

Healthcare facilities operating in low-resource areas encounter budget limitations that prevent them from buying large amounts of quality external catheter devices. When people need catheters for extended periods, the continuous purchasing costs become too heavy a financial obstacle. The limited distribution of reimbursement policies for modern catheters throughout certain regions acts as a barrier to their market uptake. Members of both patients and healthcare organizations within low-income areas maintain usage of standard, uncomfortable urine collection techniques that hinder market expansion.

Growing demand for personalized, comfortable, and reusable female external catheters.

Market expansion potential exists because patient demand continues to grow for reusable female external catheters, which provide personalized comfort. Long-term urinary incontinence patients and those recovering from surgeries commonly search for urinary catheters, which both comfort them and support their convenience. Modern catheter manufacturers have shifted their direction toward perfect female anatomy fit, which lowers the chance of both leakage incidents and skin discomfort. The market demand for female external catheters increases due to their long-term cost advantages because these devices use high-quality materials such as silicone to construct reusable components.

The home care sector, along with nursing homes, shows increasing interest in modernized urinary catheters, which offer adjustable fit and skin-friendly adhesives as well as leak-proof features. The market demand enables manufacturers to develop unique, customized catheters that focus on treating individual patient requirements. The increase in consumer demand for sustainable healthcare items drives up the demand for reusable catheter products, which gives manufacturers additional market opportunities to expand beyond their current customer base.

Growing home care services for bedridden and immobile patients drive market growth.

The female external catheter market finds growth opportunities in expanding home care services dedicated to serving bedridden and immobile patients. Medical patients with restricted mobility, like surgical patients as well as elderly people and individuals with chronic diseases, need ongoing urinary care systems. Female external catheters serve bedridden and immobile patients through their gentle methods, which create higher comfort than indwelling catheters do while lowering urinary tract infection and skin irritation risks.

The home healthcare sector maintains steady development, which has led healthcare providers and caregivers to choose external catheters since these devices provide better patient hygiene benefits with convenience advantages. The demand for home care services keeps rising because patients want house-based care, and hospitalizations have become too expensive. The market transition provides manufacturers with opportunities to create catheter products made for home care applications that provide better comfort for patients while reducing their need to visit hospitals. The expanding home care service market represents favorable conditions for the market expansion of female external catheters.

Industry Experts Opinion

“Unlike traditional methods, external catheters offer a non-invasive alternative with a lower risk of urinary tract infections, which is particularly important for women’s health. The continuous advancements in materials and design are making these products more comfortable and effective, encouraging wider adoption in both home care and medical settings.”

• Dr. Lisa Johnson, Senior Urologist at Johns Hopkins Medicine

Segment Analysis

Based on the product type, the Female External Catheter Market has been classified into Single-Use Catheters, Reusable Catheters, Disposable Catheters, Pre-Lubricated Catheters, Non-Lubricated Catheters. Single-use catheters form the dominant segment of female external catheters, as they represent the most important product variety in the market. Patient-favored single-use catheters are highly suitable for home care settings and hospitals because they offer convenience alongside hygiene advantages and promote easy use. Single-use catheters decrease infection risks while being built for exclusive one-time usage, which provides better safety, particularly to people who need continuous continence assistance. The medical field continues to adopt single-use catheters because patients prioritize disposable products combined with easy utilization. Single-use external catheters continue to gain popularity because people prefer them for home care hygienic non-invasive products. These products maintain their position in the market despite being inexpensive to purchase due to their accessibility.

Based on the Material, the Female External Catheter Market has been classified into Silicone, Latex, PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride), Foam, Hydrophilic Coated Materials. Silicone stands as the leading choice of material for female external catheters, accounting for the most important segment within this field. Shoppers choose silicone catheters primarily because these items provide high durability and flexibility with sensitive skin compatibility for all-day wear without skin problems. Silicone provides users, including people with sensitive skin, a safe experience through its hypoallergenic nature and its non-reactive character, together with its resistance to wear. Silicone catheters provide superior leak prevention along with long-term durability since alternative materials such as latex and PVC frequently cause allergic reactions or discomfort for users. Silicone has gained dominance in the female external catheter market because it provides lasting comfort and usability, which leads facilities and home care centers to adopt it throughout their practices.

 Regional Analysis

The North American female external catheter market demonstrates rapid advancement because urinary incontinence cases grow among women, and growers seek urinary collection solutions that do not require surgical procedures. The regional healthcare framework provides sufficient support for implementing advanced external catheters in medical institutions throughout nursing homes and hospital facilities, along with home-based care centers. The market demand for female external catheters continues to rise because the number of elderly individuals, especially in the United States and Canada, shows steady growth. A decreasing trend of medical care provided at homes and supportive reimbursement policies serves to drive the increasing use of female external catheters in home healthcare environments. Healthcare providers enhance their recommendations toward external catheters instead of indwelling ones after developing a greater understanding of infection prevention alongside comfort and hygiene. The market penetration of female external catheters improves through ongoing innovations in their design development, including improved skin-friendly adhesives and reusable component development.

The Asia Pacific female external catheter market demonstrates steady expansion because healthcare awareness is increasing while urinary incontinence cases grow in frequency, specifically among elderly patients. Japan, together with China and India, is experiencing a rising demand for non-invasive urinary management solutions that combine comfort and hygiene because their populations are aging at a fast rate.

Many Asia Pacific governments and healthcare infrastructure developments are expanding patient access to contemporary medical products, which include female external catheters. Widespread adoption of female external catheters faces obstacles in low-income regions due to cost-related affordability challenges. The demand for home care services is on the rise in Japan because elderly care at home has emerged as a popular trend. Developments in customer preferences for sustainable, reusable products with cost-effective designs open new chances for manufacturers to create novel solutions that fulfill regional needs. The region will experience ongoing expansion in the external catheter market as more people become mindful of its advantages.  

Competitive Landscape

Various well-established companies operate in the female external catheter market by providing diverse, innovative product offerings. The female external catheter market remains controlled by the Coloplast Group, ConvaTec Group, and Hollister Incorporated through their robust product lines and extensive delivery networks. These companies exist as leading manufacturers of high-quality external catheters that deliver superior skin compatibility together with comfort features while advancing hygiene standards. Catheter solution providers, consisting of small companies and startup organizations, bring reusable, cost-effective products that serve both home care and healthcare environments. Medtronic PLC and C. R. Bard, together with other major players, spend their research funds on developing next-generation catheters that feature improved capabilities. The competitive market continues to show active change because consumers choose individualized, non-invasive urinary management solutions alongside strategic alliances that drive continuous innovation.

Female External Catheter Market, Company Shares Analysis, 2024

To explore in-depth analysis in this report - Request Free Sample Report

Recent Developments:

• In August 2024, PureWick Corp., a subsidiary of Becton, Dickinson and Company (BD), achieved a significant legal victory when a jury awarded them $28 million in a patent infringement case against Sage Products LLC. PureWick Corp. developed and patented the innovative PureWick female external urinary catheter, designed to provide a non-invasive solution for female urinary incontinence, aiming to reduce catheter-associated urinary tract infections and skin damage caused by traditional methods.

Report Coverage:

By Product Type

• Single-Use Catheters
• Reusable Catheters
• Disposable Catheters
• Pre-Lubricated Catheters
• Non-Lubricated Catheters

By Material

• Silicone
• Latex
• PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride)
• Foam
• Hydrophilic Coated Materials

By Application

• Urinary Incontinence
• Post-Surgical Care
• Spinal Cord Injury Management
• Neurological Disorders
• Pregnancy-Related Incontinence

By Distribution channel

• Direct Sales
• Online Retail
• Pharmacies
• Medical Supply Stores
• Others

By End-user

• Hospitals and Clinics
• Home Care Settings
• Nursing Homes
• Ambulatory Surgical Centers
• Long-Term Care Facilities
• Rehabilitation Centers

By Region

North America

• U.S.
• Canada

Europe

• U.K.
• France
• Germany
• Italy
• Spain
• Rest of Europe

Asia Pacific

• China
• Japan
• India
• Australia
• South Korea
• Singapore
• Rest of Asia Pacific

Latin America

• Brazil
• Argentina
• Mexico
• Rest of Latin America

Middle East & Africa

• GCC Countries
• South Africa
• Rest of Middle East & Africa

List of Companies:

• Coloplast Group
• ConvaTec Group
• Hollister Incorporated
• Medtronic PLC
• C. R. Bard
• Smith & Nephew PLC
• Asid Bonz GmbH
• Lohmann & Rauscher GmbH
• Medline Industries, Inc.
• Karex Berhad
• Vive Health, Inc.
• Stryker
• Urocare Products, Inc.
• BioElectronics Corporation
• Stony Medical International LLC

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)