Pregnancy & Kidney Disease | Tennessee Valley Urology Center

With Mother’s Day swiftly approaching, you might be thinking about having children or grandchildren–babies bring joy! Of course, pregnancy also puts a great deal of stress on a woman’s body. If you or a loved one has kidney disease or kidney failure, you might be curious about the possibilities of having a healthy pregnancy. At Tennessee Valley Urology Center, we see many kidney patients, and we know that each woman considering pregnancy will need to consult with a physician who knows her history and status of kidney disease. But in the meantime, here are a few things you should know.

Women with stage 1 or 2 kidney disease
A woman with mild kidney disease might experience a very healthy pregnancy if she has healthy blood pressure, and minimal protein in the urine prior to pregnancy.

Women with stage 3 to 5 kidney disease
By nature, women with moderate to severe kidney disease will experience a much higher risk of complications during pregnancy. Depending upon your particular situation, physicians may advise against becoming pregnant due to the heightened risk to child and mother.

Women on dialysis
Many women currently on dialysis may be unable to conceive due to a lack of routine menstrual cycle. When on dialysis, women are prone to anemia and experience hormonal changes which cause them to stop menstruating.

Women with kidney failure
While not impossible, doctors typically advise against becoming pregnant when you have kidney failure because the chance for complications is so high for both the mother and baby. Women who do become pregnant despite kidney failure will require high risk medical care, changes in their medicine, and additional dialysis to encourage a healthy baby, labor and delivery.

Women with a kidney transplant
It’s entirely possible to conceive a baby and have a healthy pregnancy, even if you have a kidney transplant. However, a woman should wait at least one year after getting the transplant, because some post-op meds are not good for a developing baby.

Has chronic kidney disease impacted your life as a mom? Tennessee Valley Urology Center aims to provide plenty of education and compassion for the urologic disorders which affect our community as well as kidney disease and dialysis. Visit our website today to learn more about our center.