i also had this show up on my u/s I went back for another u/s and they found that my baby had a spot on her heart as well. they told me these are two markers for down syndrome. i was offered an amnio and i declined. i have to wait until my baby is born to see if there is anything wrong with her. ↑
My first son had this whilst I was pregnant with him and it swapped between both kidneys but I was then told it was clear at a later scan. My second son is now on a course of antibiotics for 6 wks and being scanned as he was found to have the same thing but it didn't clear before he was born. The way I've had it expalined to me is there is the tube which comes out from the kidney and this can have a bit of a 'kink' in it which causes a backlog of urine into the kidney, sometimes it clears as the baby grows and there is more room for this tube to move away from the kidney as its not all so squashed up however whilst this is happening antibiotics may be needed to prevent infection. Everyone has been very relaxed and reasuring about it and are about to scan my first son to put my mind at ease as he was never scanned once he was born, but to be honest I know very little and am currently searching the web for more info. I was also told that it can apparently be a soft marker for downs however as the previous lady has written there are normally more soft markers needed and then other tests are offered so try not to worry too much and at the next scan discuss with your doctor, as I said all the doctors I have spoken with were really reasuring saying that it normally clears with growth/antibiotics. If anyone else has any further information I also would be really interested as i've said I don't know much about it. ↑
I had this show up in my 18 week u/s. I was told that it's a marker for Down's syndrome. My AFP result concurs with that. We've declined the amnio and I'm just trying to not stress about it :-( ↑
It is true, it's a marker for Down's. Down's babies have kidney and heart irregularities when born that many times have to be fixed with surgery a little later on. I have seen this in many Down's babies I have cared for as a Neonatal ICU nurse. It could also mean nothing at the same time that growth of the fetus does not fix. Does you no good to worry until you know, but I know that is easy to say if I am not in that situation. I wish you and your baby all the luck and hopefully just good things to come in the future. ↑
I have been reading alot about this and while I too am concerned about its possible implications for my baby, the research I've done so far is somewhat reassuring. This is fairly common ultrasound diagnosis (approximately 1.4% of ultrasounds will detenct some levle of kidney dilation.) Approximately 50% of those identified through ultrasound will resolve themselves with no further complications, either before birth, shortly after, or within the first year. Of the remaining 50%, only 25% end up needing surgery to corrrect the problem. In addition, its utility as a soft marker appears to be very weak, with other markers also needing to be present. I hope this is encouraging. ↑
My fiancee had her untrasound today and they noted that our baby had renal dilation. We spoke to the midwife and she dais the odds are as long as 1:200. My finacee has had a Downs screening blood test though, which as come back as a very low risk with odds of Downs at 1:12000. It is just a huge shock when you expect everything to be okay at the scan. We are thinking about the Amnio because the next scan is at 34 weeks and another 14 weeks is a long time to be left "in the dark". ↑
My baby also has dilated kidneys this was found at my 21wk scan, I am now 26wks and waiting to go back for my 30wk scan when they will have a look to see if there is any improvement. The Kidneys were dilated to 5.7mm, can anyone tell me what their babies kidneys measured? I have also been reading alot and I believe more often than not it can correct its self in the womb, if not baby would maybe need antibiotics and a scan when it is born and that the worse case would be a small operation. Good Luck ↑
I am 37 wks pregnant and rpd was found at my 20 wks scan. Baby has severe dilation in one kidney only. I've been told by doctors that the problem my baby has is more common in boys, and that it is (like in your baby Carolyn) a kink in the tube leading from the kidney. I've been reassured that this is a different problem to that which presents in children with Down's. We have no other markers either. Still worried out of my mind though! So it seems to depend on the reason for the dilation, and whether it is on one side or two as to whether it is considered a marker for Down's at all. And even if it is considered to be a marker, there usually have to be other markers present aswell. Hope this helps. Will let you know how I get on in the coming weeks!! ↑
i went for my second level II u/s at 31 weeks both the kidneys and the spot on my baby's heart have cleared up on their own. my baby looks perfectly healthy. i was told that the dilation in the kidneys could be from my hormones as well. ↑
when i went in for my level two two weeks ago my doc told me that the kidneys were suppose to be 4 cm and my sons was 5 i no thats not a big difference but he wants me to come back in in july to see if they change he really didnt explain to me what it could be. ↑
My first ultra sound showed that my baby had r.d. but the doctor reasured me that is was fairly common in boys. Since my husband is stationed in Germany I am delivering on the economy (in a German hospital) and they do an ultra sound every visit. My baby has been slightly dialated the whole pregnancy until yesterday when I had my 35 week appointment and it showed that the dialation has increased. Now I need another high tech ultra sound to see if they need to take the baby early since there could be damage to the kidneys with the pressure of the womb as the baby grows. I am now trying to get information on what to expect after the baby is born. Like what kinds of test they will need to do or what could be wrong with the kidneys. I haven't found much so far but thanks for all of your thoughts and insights! I am not worried about Down's Syndrome though as my doctor also said it was a very very slight chance. ↑
this showed up on my 20 week u/s as well and i am scared out of my mind. The doctor acted like it was common but from my research it's not. I wanted to do an amino but the doctor doesn't think it's necessary because of the risk of a misscarrage. i don't know what to do, i'm really depressed about it, people are so lucky to have healthy children, i wish i were one of them. ↑
I am a student midwife and am researching this topic, try this website it seems to explain things well, if i have the name correct of the problem!
http://www.duj.com/hydronephrosis.html ↑
ive just had my 20 week scan and have been told that my baby has renal pelvis dilation, the only information i can give you is that once the baby is born it will be started on a low dose of antibiotics until its better. good luck ↑
This also showed up on my 24 week ultrasound. After having 5 more sonograms, I had a healthy baby boy in Dec. We went last week to a pediatric urologist and had some tests ran. He still has the dilation. He was on an antibiotic for the first 6-8 weeks to prevent an infection. However, after our visit last week, we no longer have to give him an antibiotic. (He has a blockage, not reflux). We go back in 6 weeks to have another ultrasound. Our specialist is just going to keep an eye on it as there is still a 50% chance it will clear up on its own. If it wasn't for finding it in the ultasound, we would not even know it is there. He is perfectly healthy and is growing like a weed. Don't stress too much about it (easier said than done, I know!) Just enjoy your pregnancy because the chances of it being a problem are pretty slim! ↑
i was told my baby also had renal pelvis dilation. he hadn a scan at 6 weeks and the fluid was still there. he has got to have dye put in his bladder poor thing. ↑
i was told my baby also had renal pelvis dilation. he hadn a scan at 6 weeks and the fluid was still there. he has got to have dye put in his bladder poor thing.does ↑
i hope what little info i have will help someone. i have a happy, healthy, very active, beautiful 10yr old that was diagnosed w/rpd in 1 kidney and a cyst on the other very early in my pregnancy, neither kidney was functioning before birth. ultrasounds were done weekly to monitor her, she had several scans, test, ect... done after birth. the rpd blockage passed shortly after birth, but her other kidney was lost due to the cyst. potty training was delayed and a bit difficult, but everything is fine now, no major problems to date. i thank God everyday!! ↑
I'm 37 weeks pregnant and learned that my baby (boy) had rpd at 20 weeks. His right kidney has fluctuated back and forth between 4mm and 9 mm, while his left kidney has progressively gotten larger and has now grown to 25mm, which I am told is severe. Has anyone recently had a similar problem (severe dilation) that has been resolved through antibiotics or surgery post natal? and what was the outcome/prognosis? ↑
My baby was diagnosed with mild renal dilation in the left kidney at 22 weeks. We had periodic ultrasound checks which kept showing that it was slightly bigger, but still mild dilation. I did have the amnio at 24 weeks because I could not rest until I knew we were dealing with Downs or not, and mercifully we were not. Well, my little boy was born 6 weeks early and his left kidney is still mildly dilated. He pees just fine. He wa in the NICU for 10 days due to his early arrival, and the doctors there did not put him on any extra antibiotics after his discharge as the dilation is so mild. We will be seeing a pediatric urologist soon to keep an eye on the situation. We were told that since he was early, he had less time in utero for the problem to resolve, so it may due so yet. Anyway our little boy has lots of wet diapers and none of the doctors seem overly concerned with this mild dilation. When your baby is 6 1/2 weeks early, mild renal dilation doesn't seem to be such a big deal. ↑
Hi! All
On Jan10 2007, My 17 weeks u/s also showed RPD , and the doctor is not so encouraging, It will be highly appreciated if you all can provide some more information as you all must have delivered the baby by now...God Bless You All. ↑
Ihope this will reassure some i have a nine year old son who was diagnosed during pregnancy as having the markers for downs i refused to terminate as that was one operation but obviously it caused me great stress i carried on with the pregnancy untill full tem where i opted for a planned c section still not knowing wat the outcome may be but my baby boy now as i said nine was perfect only he still has a dialated renal pelvis from time to time but perfectly healthy otherwise, these signs during pregnancy can be very misleading & upsetting to parents my advice dont stress as the results can be good ↑
I had this show at my 20 week scan, i went back to my midwife and she said to me you must be having a boy, which I was and apparently is very common and my midwife was very casual about it, I got on the internet which made it worse,reading about markers for downs, etc ,but everthing turned out fine I had a 35 weeks scan and was still the same, told me they woudl give him antibiotics when born but the specialist said no need, had another 3 month scan all ok. too much reading on the internet is a bad thing, wait and see the result I am sure it will be fine ↑
I had a scan before my daughter was born and it showed also that she had renal pelvic dilatation measuring around 8mm on the left kidney, then 6mm 6 weeks after she was born and then 4 months later, she had another scan which showed that it was now 13mm.. Her left kidney is normal at 1.2m i am really really confused. Its like it is going down and then up again like a yo yo. I am trying to think hard as to what i can do naturally to help...
Your kidneys generally produce a hormone called erythropoietin that has the important responsibility of stimulating your bone marrow to produce red blood cells.
Your kidneys produce renin, a hormone that helps to regulate your blood pressure.
Your kidneys produce calcitriol, a hormone that is essential to your ability to absorb calcium from the foods that you eat.
Your kidneys filter waste products and excess fluid out of your blood and eliminate them as urine.
Your kidneys help to regulate your electrolyte levels by filtering out any excess minerals that are floating around in your blood circulation
Considering in mind the functions of the kidney,
such as i have started to massage her kidneys in circulation motion to help blood circulation and increase her vitamin intake. ↑
Hydronephrosis commonly results from an obstruction located at the junction of the ureter and renal pelvis (ureteropelvic junction). Causes of this type of obstruction include the following:
Structural abnormalities—for example, a birth defect in which the insertion of the ureter into the renal pelvis is too high or there is inadequate development of the ureteral muscles (congenital ureteropelvic junction obstruction)
Kinking at the ureteropelvic junction resulting from a kidney shifting downward (ptosis of the kidney)
Stones (calculi) or a blood clot in the renal pelvis
Compression of the ureter by bands of fibrous tissue, an abnormally located artery or vein, or a tumor
Hydronephrosis can also result from an obstruction below the ureteropelvic junction or from backflow (reflux) of urine from the bladder. Causes of this type of obstruction include the following:
Stones in the ureter
Blood clot in the ureter
Tumors in or near the ureter
Narrowing of the ureter resulting from a birth defect, an injury, an infection, radiation therapy, or surgery
Disorders of the muscles or nerves in the ureter or bladder
Formation of fibrous tissue in or around the ureter resulting from surgery, radiation therapy, or drugs (especially methysergide Some Trade Names
SANSERT
)
Bulging of the lower end of the ureter into the bladder (ureterocele)
Cancers of the bladder, cervix, uterus, prostate, or other pelvic organs
Obstruction that prevents urine flow from the bladder to the urethra, resulting from prostate enlargement (most often caused by a condition called benign prostatic hyperplasia—see Prostate Disorders: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)), or rectal impaction with feces
Abnormal contractions of the bladder resulting from a birth defect or a spinal cord or nerve injury
Hydronephrosis of both kidneys can occur during pregnancy as the enlarging uterus compresses the ureters. Hormonal changes during pregnancy may aggravate the problem by reducing the muscular contractions that normally move urine down the ureters. This condition, commonly called hydronephrosis of pregnancy, usually ends when the pregnancy ends, although the renal pelvis and ureters may remain somewhat distended afterward.
Symptoms
Symptoms depend on the cause, location, and duration of the obstruction. When the obstruction begins quickly (acute hydronephrosis), it usually produces renal colic—an excruciating, intermittent pain in the flank (the area between the ribs and hip) on the affected side. Obstruction on one side does not reduce urine flow. Obstruction can stop or reduce urine flow if blockage affects the ureters from both kidneys or if it affects the urethra. Obstruction of the urethra or bladder outlet may produce pain, pressure, and distention of the bladder.
People who have slowly progressive (chronic) hydronephrosis may have no symptoms, or they may have attacks of dull, aching discomfort in the flank on the affected side. Sometimes a kidney stone temporarily blocks the ureter and produces painful hydronephrosis that occurs intermittently.
Hydronephrosis may cause vague intestinal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. These symptoms sometimes occur in children when hydronephrosis results from a birth defect in which the junction of the ureter and renal pelvis is too narrow (ureteropelvic junction obstruction).
People who have urinary tract infections may have pus in the urine, fever, and discomfort in the area of the bladder or kidneys.
Diagnosis
Early diagnosis is important, because most cases of obstruction can be corrected and because a delay in treatment can lead to irreversible kidney damage. Doctors may suspect hydronephrosis because of a person's symptoms and sometimes because of findings discovered during a physical examination. A distended kidney can occasionally be felt in the flank, particularly if the kidney is greatly enlarged in an infant or a child or a thin adult. A distended bladder can sometimes be felt in the lower part of the abdomen just above the pubic bone.
Doctors depend on testing to make the diagnosis. Bladder catheterization (insertion of a hollow, flexible tube through the urethra) is often the first diagnostic test done in people with renal colic, pelvic pressure, or distention. If the catheter drains a large amount of urine from the bladder, then either the bladder outlet or the urethra is obstructed. Many doctors do ultrasonography to determine whether the bladder is filled with a large amount of urine before doing bladder catheterization.
If the presence or site of obstruction is in doubt, various imaging tests can be done to identify evidence of obstruction such as hydronephrosis or a site of blockage. For example, ultrasonography is a very useful test in most people (particularly children and pregnant women) because it is fairly accurate and does not expose the person to any radiation. Computed tomography (CT) scanning is an alternative. It is rapid and highly accurate, particularly at identifying stones. Other imaging tests, such as intravenous urography, may be performed to identify the site of obstruction, if it is not visible with ultrasonography or CT.
An endoscope (a rigid or flexible telescope) is sometimes used to look at possible sites of obstruction as closely as possible. An endoscope can be used to examine the urinary tract.
Blood and urine tests are done. Blood test results are usually normal, but tests may reveal high levels of urea nitrogen (sometimes called BUN), creatinine, or both, if obstruction affects both kidneys. Results from an analysis of urine (urinalysis) are usually normal but white blood cells and red blood cells may be present when a stone or a cancer is the cause of obstruction, or when the obstruction is complicated by an infection.
Prognosis
Permanent kidney damage is unlikely to result unless both kidneys are obstructed for at least a few weeks. The prognosis is less certain for chronic hydronephrosis.
Treatment
Treatment usually aims to relieve the cause of obstruction. For example, if the urethra is obstructed because of an enlarged or cancerous prostate, treatment can include drugs, such as hormone therapy for prostate cancer (see Prostate Disorders: Cancer), surgery, or enlargement of the urethra with dilators. Other treatments, such as lithotripsy or endoscopic surgery, may be needed for stones that block the flow of urine. If the cause of obstruction cannot be rapidly corrected, particularly if there is infection, kidney failure, or severe pain, the urinary tract is drained. In acute hydronephrosis, urine that has accumulated above the obstruction can be drained with a soft tube inserted through the skin into the kidney (nephrostomy tube) or by insertion of a soft plastic tube that connects the bladder with the kidney (ureteral stent). Complications of nephrostomy tubes or ureteral stents can include displacement of the tube, infection, and discomfort.
Urgent relief of chronic hydronephrosis is usually not required. Complications of hydronephrosis, such as urinary tract infections and kidney failure, if present, are treated promptly.
