More Pregnancy Issues Arise With Kidney Disease

Kidney disease can result in problems during pregnancy that may even put the mother and future child's risk at life, according to recent research published in the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

A group of Italian researchers compared the outcomes among 504 pregnant women with chronic kidney disease and 836 pregnant women without any kidney problems.

For women dealing with chronic kidney disease during pregnancy, the risk of a preterm delivery is higher, along with high blood pressure in the mood and a potential need for neonatal intensive care. This was also particularly true among women in the early stages of the disease, according to the study authors.

"The findings indicate that any kidney disease -- even the least severe, such as a kidney scar from a previous episode of kidney infection, with normal kidney function -- has to be regarded as relevant in pregnancy, and all patients should undergo a particularly careful follow-up," study co-leader Dr. Giorgina Barbara Piccoli, of the University of Torino, said in a news release.

"Conversely, we also found that a good outcome was possible in patients with advanced (kidney disease), who are often discouraged to pursue pregnancy," she added.

As statistics show that in the United States alone, an estimated 26 million people suffer from chronic kidney disease, the findings may prove useful for women with kidney disease and monitoring the health problem during pregnancy.