Improving the outcomes for pregnancies in the context of kidney disease

Abstract

Renal disease in pregnancy is a rare pathology, but it raises several problems in terms of normal pregnancy evolution. Among pregnant women with renal injury, the rate of complications such as spontaneous abortion, preeclampsia, hypertension, intrauterine growth restriction, premature birth, fetal and neonatal mortality are much higher. For a good understanding of the pathology and a correct management of pregnant women with renal disease, it is necessary to know the normal pregnancy changes and the differentiation of chronic kidney disease from the acute injuries occurring during pregnancy. It is useful to ensure counseling prior to conception and to perform all prophylactic measures in order to prevent pregnancy complications and subsequent decline in renal function in all cases of pregnant women with chronic renal insufficiency. Treatment of acute renal failure in pregnancy involves therapy of the underlying condition that caused renal injury, prevention of irreversible kidney injury and pre-vention of maternal and fetal secondary complications. Monitoring carefully this cate-gory of pregnant women, although additional risks strike, often results in favorabl pregnancy evolution.