Renal disease in pregnancy

Abstract

There is an intimate relationship between the kidney and pregnancy. Renal plasma flow increases by 50–70% during a normal pregnancy and the glomerular filtration rate by about 50%.¹These changes commence in the first trimester and fall in the last trimester reaching normal levels within about four weeks postpartum. These physiological changes are accompanied by striking anatomical changes which consist of dilatation of the ureter, pelvis and calyces, together with an increase in renal parenchymal size. The dilatation i s more marked on the right and may appear in the first trimester. At term, 90% of pregnant women show this change.²