Pregnancy in women with renal disease. Yes or no?

Abstract

Women with renal disease who conceive and continue pregnancy, are at significant risk for adverse maternal and fetal outcomes. Although advances in antenatal and neonatal care continue to improve these outcomes, the risks remain proportionate to the degree of underlying renal dysfunction.The aim of this article, is to examine the impact of varying degrees of renal insufficiency on pregnancy outcome, in women with chronic renal disease and to provide if possible, useful conclusions whether and when, a woman with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), should decide to get pregnant.This article, reviews briefly the normal physiological changes of renal function during pregnancy, and make an attempt to clarify the nature and severity of the risks, in the settings of chronic renal insufficiency and end stage renal disease, including dialysis patients and transplant recipients.

Keywords: chronic kidney disease; gestation age; pre-eclampsia; pregnancy; stillbirth.