- Pregnancy
- Baby & Toddler
- Parents
- Getting Pregnant
- Baby Names
- Product Reviews
-
Registry
- Community
-
More
Want a personalized experience?
Download the free app
Toddlers: 24 Months+
amykins1283
member
? for anyone whose son (or daughter) had dilated kidneys in utero...
amykins1283
member
Haven't been on in quite a while!
We are fast approaching the arrival of baby #2. It was discovered during our anatomy scan that DS2 had dilated kidneys (right one more than the left). I was told that it was probably a development issue, his ureters just weren't keeping up with the rest of his growth, and that it was something that would probably work itself out. I went back for another ultrasound 6 weeks later (this past Friday) and his right kidney is mostly stable but still dilated and his left kidney is now significantly more dilated. His bladder is normal and his level of amniotic fluid is also normal so the issue isn't affecting his urine output or anything like that so the doctor is still fairly certain that it's just a slow development issue and that it will work itself out after birth. We are going back again in another 6 weeks for another check and he will be evaluated by a pediatric urologist after birth and most likely put on antibiotics to prevent UTI's. He will have to continue seeing the urologist after birth until the issue resolves itself or they determine whether the cause needs surgical intervention (she said it rarely comes to this).
So, anyone with an LO that had this issue, how long after birth did it take for it to resolve itself and what course did your LO's treatment take? I'm not really worried since everything else about baby is normal but I am a curious about what is going to happen after birth. Thanks!
This discussion has been closed.
Re: ? for anyone whose son (or daughter) had dilated kidneys in utero...
We didn't find out about my son's kidney issue until he was about four months old, so my story may needlessly scare you. The doctor thought his abdomen felt funny at a check up and we had an ultrasound done. His left kidney was a hot mess and we were referred to a pediatric urologist.
He had another ultrasound and then a VCUG. It turned out that he had severe reflux (urine was backing up into the kidney from the bladder) and the ureters were too many and in the wrong place. Then we had a kidney function test done and found the left kidney was functioning at about 15% and the right was fine. We were given the choice to do nothing (and take him off antibiotics and wait for possible infections and treat them), remove the kidney, or do surgery to correct it. The thought was if we could fix the kidney, we might be able to get enough function to keep him off dialysis if the right one failed. We choose to fix it.
He had surgery at 21 months. It was pretty crappy for about two days and he was fine after that. Even the scar is pretty much gone. He goes back every six months for ultrasounds. The left kidney still really isn't working and probably never will, but the reflux is gone and he'll probably live a perfectly normal life. I will probably get to play the worried mom card and keep him from playing contact sports (to prevent injury to the good kidney) but otherwise he's a heathy kid. He does pee a LOT and we've been told not to even try to potty train him until he's ready.
I hope everything clears up for your baby, but if it doesn't, as long as one of the kidneys is working, things usually wind up okay. GL!
One of my good friends dd's had dilated kidneys in utero and they were getting quite large (something about the dilation shouldn't go over 10 but hers were), so they had to deliver her at a certain hospital because of the higher level NICU then the other hospital and having more specialists on hand, etc.
At 37 weeks the kidneys were still dilated and the doctor was starting to worry a bit, my friend was induced at exactly 40 weeks and the kidney issues were gone. They did an ultrasound after birth and they were fine, not dilated at all. No treatment was needed.
Hope that ends up being the same for you! Good Luck!
The dilated kidneys is called hydronephrosis. We found out DS had from an U/S at 35 weeks. He was born at 36w4d so I knew it would not be fixed.
Timeline
3 days old- first Renal U/S. It showed bilateral hydronephrosis. The left was mild and right minimal.
1 month- He was put on medication for first month and met with the Pediatric urologist. He was then put on amox. He had a renal U/S. Still same, right is getting better.
5 months old- he had another renal U/S and a VCUG to check for reflux. No reflux present.
11 months- another Renal U/S.Right almost cleared.
Follow-up at 19 months, then moved yearly. At over 2.5, we were told that his kidneys are "shaped differently" than the average 2.5 and follow-up at 3.5 if he had an UTI. It was not necessary and ultimately released from Ped. Urol. care.
At 20weeks both of my son's were slightly dilated. At 28weeks one was fine but the other was still big. We were sent to a MFM where they did another u/s and determined that the left had not developed correctly and was covered with cysts. He has what is called a multicystic dysplastic kidney (different than poly-cystic) We met with the pedi urologist at about 36 weeks so they could explain the course of action after birth. We had an u/s at 2 days (he was in the NICU for meconium inhalation - totally unrelated). His urine output was normal.
We had a VCUG and renal u/s at 2 weeks old. There was no function in the left but the right was perfect with no reflux. We had another u/s at 6m and 1 yr (and will have them yearly until he's 6). They will not remove the damaged one unless it becomes a problem. He was never on antibiotics for it. It has really had no affect on his life.
We were told ours was a rare result and maybe 1/100 kids who had dilated kidneys at the anatomy scan go on to have problems like this. The vast majority resolve within the first year.
Sidenote - The urologist did recommend circumcising because there is evidence that uncir-ed boys have higher incidences of UTI while in diapers. Not a foolproof reason but valid recommendation for our situation.