Background: Fetal survival and the risk of accelerated renal damage are the two major concerns with pregnancies complicated by chronic kidney disease. Although fetal survival has increased significantly due to improved antenatal and neonatal services, the maternal and neonatal morbidity is still considerable.
Methods: This retrospective analysis of 51 pregnancies was conducted at a tertiary care center in India to estimate the risk of obstetrical complications, perinatal morbidity and mortality, and the effect of pregnancy on renal function in women with different types and severity of renal disease.
Results: The type of renal disease and the degree of renal insufficiency did not have a significant effect on the chances of successful pregnancy outcome once the pregnancy had progressed beyond the first trimester. The risk of prematurity was significantly increased when the diastolic blood pressure was >/= 90 mm Hg at conception (OR 8.3, CI 1.6-41.5). All patients with a diastolic blood pressure > 100 mm Hg delivered preterm. Hypertension worsened in 16 (35.5%) women during pregnancy, of which 13 had to be terminated preterm because of uncontrolled blood pressure. Serum creatinine deteriorated during pregnancy in 32.5%, the percentage increase showing a significant inverse correlation to the baseline creatinine clearance.
Conclusions: Hypertension at conception was a significant independent factor influencing the gestational age at delivery. The baseline renal function did not correlate with the risk of acceleration of hypertension during pregnancy. However, the deterioration of renal function during pregnancy had a significant inverse correlation to basal creatinine clearance.