Post-kidney transplant fertility & pregnancy

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KPtransplant
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2016 6:40 pm

Re: Post-kidney transplant fertility & pregnancy

Post by KPtransplant »

Thank You for your response. It's so very nice to connect with others who can understand one's concerns.
Amanda could I ask what immunosuppresant regimen you are on?
I seem to have elevated post prandial blood sugar two hours after food. I was asked to reduce carbs,avoid sweets and exercise daily.
I eat carefully all the time.

Was your kidney donor live unrelated?
AmandaClare
Posts: 658
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2007 1:58 pm
Location: London

Re: Post-kidney transplant fertility & pregnancy

Post by AmandaClare »

I was on the old triple therapy - ciclosporin, azathioprine, prednisolone. That was the standard treatment in the 80s and I've never been swapped to newer meds. I didn't have to change immunosuppression to try for a baby but did have to change my BP med.

Since then I've come off the steroid so now on ciclosporin and aza.

Hope the blood sugar comes back under control.

Amanda
Alports Syndrome
Dialysis 1986, aged 14
Transplant 1988, still going strong!
Baby boy 2010
Ria91
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2016 11:35 am

Re: Post-kidney transplant fertility & pregnancy

Post by Ria91 »

Hello to everyone here.
My name is Eleftheria(Ria more easy) i am from Greece and i have had my kidney transplant since 14th January 2015. I used to make peritoneal dialysis for 3,5 years. My father's brother (my unkle) gave me the kidney. everything is going fine my creatin is stable 1,20 (from 13) and i m getting cellcept, prograf and medrol. I m 25 years old and i have wonders about having a baby. I am very afraid not only for me but most for the baby. Is it possible to have one? I am very disappointed about what i hear here in Greece of many gynaecolocists. I don t have any problem with my genealogy i am very fine and capable. They are telling me, some of them,not to try a baby because it s hard and easy to lose the kidney and it will be more safe to have surrogate mother. I am desperate..really :(
KPtransplant
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2016 6:40 pm

Re: Post-kidney transplant fertility & pregnancy

Post by KPtransplant »

Hi Ria,

I have been told that its risky too. Perhaps another doctors opinion may help. Each case is different. However I do know that it is quite possible to have a baby.

I was asked to switch to immuran to see how I'm tolerating the drug. It is unsafe for the baby to conceive while on cellcept. However I haven't been tolerating immuran and it's been causing elevated liver enzymes, only in a matter of a month since the drug change.

My nephrologist has suggested I look for a doctor more experienced with renal transplant pregnancies. For those that cant tolerate immuran a few people are know to have succesful pregnancies on just tacrolimus and steroids. Thats a risk according to my doctor and he says he doesn't have experience in this.

Also you may be able to get some information from the transplant pregnancy registry in Philadelphia. They should send you annual report on transplant pergnancies once requested on tpr@transplantpregnancyregistry.org>
Yoyi
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2017 1:30 am

Re: Post-kidney transplant fertility & pregnancy

Post by Yoyi »

Hello All!
I was so happy to find these posts and see how other pregancies had progressed.
I am currently 18 weeks pregnant. I am 31yrs old and had a live donor tx in June 2012. My husband and I decided that we wanted to have kids last year so my nephrologist slowly weaned me off Myfofrtic for about 4 months hoping that my kidney would do well on just Tacro and prednisone. However, after a few weeks w/out it my numbers creeped up and I was put on Imuran to which my kidney reacted very well and I went back to my normal. I'd like to say here that thankfully I have had no rejection episodes and my kidney function has been stable since the Tx so that is why my doctor agreed to alter my meds. I had always thought that since I had been so sick for so long (I lost my kidneys to Lupus) that I would either be unable to conceive orthat it would take a longtime, but 6 weeks after getting off the Myfortic I conceived!! It was such a shock and a blessing. So I think that fertility really just depends on the person. I was very scared at the beginning and still am, but I found a wonderful high-risk gynocologist that monitors me very closely. I go in every 2/3 weeks for ultrasound and the baby is measuring as it should. Thankfully I have no issues with my bp as we have higher incidence of preeclampsia in comparison with the general population, but As a precaution I weigh myself everyday and take my bp. I also bought a fetal heart doppler that calms me down when Im nervous about the baby. My creatine and BUN have gone down (they usually do with pregnancy) and I feel very good.
I feel that doing the research and havinga great relationship with my gynecologist have been my best tools. I have a few friends who are also pregnant, but it is a bit different for them,they can expect to go full term while I have a 50% chance of preterm delivery. Ijust take it one day at a time and am happy that I chose to try and grow my family. Having children was always a dream of mine and whatever the outcome at least I tried.
I hope this helps anyone who is thinking of trying to conceive and start their families; we've all been through enough already with our diseases, why not try for some joy?
Sorry for the long post... as for the baby squishing the kidney, I def. feel like I have two bumps right now,the baby and the kidney! They are about the same size right now! I feel like the baby is always on the left side and the kidney is obviously on the right. So far I havent felt baby kick, so I don't know if she will hit the kidney,but I would assume that there would be no harm as babies kickeverything in there as well! I'll update you guys later on if anyone is interested! Take care all, good luck!
Andy
Posts: 856
Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2004 1:02 pm
Location: Cardiff, Wales- now Christchurch New Zealand

Re: Post-kidney transplant fertility & pregnancy

Post by Andy »

Hi,

I've not posted on this forum for a log time however I thought I had some knowledge that I am able to give back.

I had my transplant back in 2003. In 2014 I spoke with my transplant team about pregnancy and wanting to try and conceive. I was on Tacrolimus, and MMF. They took me off MMF, started me on azathiaprine (which I reacted too) so I was commenced on prednisone.
I found out I was pregnant Nov/Dec 2014 and after a relatively easy pregnancy (until I developed pre-eclampsia at 34 weeks), I now have a lovely little girl.
My creatinine remain stable and my kidney function didn't suffer any long term effects.
I am now back in MMF, and remain on tac and peed (until my next appointment where I'll be asking to come off).
Good luck with the rest of your pregnancy.

Andy
We are the way we are, if we werent, I wouldnt be me and you wouldnt be you!

www.lltgl.org.uk
LouiseD17
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri May 12, 2017 6:35 pm

Re: Post-kidney transplant fertility & pregnancy

Post by LouiseD17 »

Hi everyone
I had my transplant in 2007 I was 19, I am now 29 and 14 weeks pregnant with my first baby.
I have been really lucky and had no complications over the last 10 years apart from an infection last year which I spent
A week in hospital on antibiotics. My kidney function was not affected after, my creatinine tends to fluctuate between 95 and 115 nothing to worry about.
I told my transplant team that we wanted to try for a baby so they changed my Myfortic to Azathioprine, my bloods where monitors regulalty and the creatinine actually came down!
Once I got the all clear I stopped taking the pill, that was November last year and conceived In February I was actually quite shocked that it happened so quickly!
My appointments at transplant clinic have gone from every 4 months to every 6 weeks, I will be seen by the midwife and consultant every 4 weeks so having appointments nearly every week, this is keeping my mind at ease being monitored regularly.
After my 20 week scan I will be scanned every 2-3 weeks to monitor baby's growth and by blood pressure will be monitored, it has been really good lately so fingers crossed this continues.

My main query is if most people end up having a c sections or are they able to give birth naturally?
Would natural birth put to much strain on the kidney?

I can't seem to find much information on the interment so happy I found this forum

Louise
AmandaClare
Posts: 658
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2007 1:58 pm
Location: London

Re: Post-kidney transplant fertility & pregnancy

Post by AmandaClare »

Hi Louise

Many congratulations on your pregnancy.

I think more of us transplant women end up having c-sections, because we're higher risk and so closely monitored. Also it's common to end up delivering early. But I know it's possible to give birth naturally. You'll need to discuss it with the obstetrician.

I ended up with a section, but when it looked like a natural birth would be possible I was told I'd have an epidural, due to BP concerns if I was in too much pain. But other obstetricians might have different approaches to that.

All the very best.

Amanda
Alports Syndrome
Dialysis 1986, aged 14
Transplant 1988, still going strong!
Baby boy 2010
louise197937
Posts: 1
Joined: Mon Jul 03, 2017 7:02 pm

Re: Post-kidney transplant fertility & pregnancy

Post by louise197937 »

Hi, I had my Transplant in January 2016. I was on dialysis for nearly 6 years. My partner is worried than a pregnancy after Transplant will go badly and I'll need dialysis again.

Anyone else in same situation
AmandaClare
Posts: 658
Joined: Tue Sep 18, 2007 1:58 pm
Location: London

Re: Post-kidney transplant fertility & pregnancy

Post by AmandaClare »

Hi, I'd suggest discussing it with your transplant team first of all and then, if possible, with an obstetrician specialising in kidney patients. And take hubby along as you both need to hear the advice.

Getting pregnant with a transplant has risks, but many women have done it without ending up back on dialysis.

It depends on your overall health, the functioning of your kidney, your underlying condition and other factors.

Remember you're likely to need to change your medication and may also need genetic counselling to work out the risks of passing on your condition. So it's best done in a planned way.

Very best of luck. Let us know how you get on.

Amanda
Alports Syndrome
Dialysis 1986, aged 14
Transplant 1988, still going strong!
Baby boy 2010
Stacy217
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 2:29 am

Re: Post-kidney transplant fertility & pregnancy

Post by Stacy217 »

Hi,I'm Stacy I have medullary cystic kidney disease it's genetic. I left doctors today flooded with tears I want a baby so bad and I'd live what some of you were feeling or questions u had. I'm 32 and I have had my kidney a year an a half with a creation of 1.5 and no high blood pressure no diabetes pretty actived an healthy.. I'm scared about losing thed baby me an my kidney as I just gott of dialysis for 12 years any info would be a blessing as Idk if its me or am I just happy to be a mom but be healthy as well...
R_P91
Posts: 1
Joined: Sat Jun 05, 2021 12:35 pm

Re: Post-kidney transplant fertility & pregnancy

Post by R_P91 »

Hello everyone!
My name is Robyn :)

I know the last comment on this post seems to have been quite a while ago but I'm desperate for some advice!
I'm 30 years old and had my transplant 8 years ago. I had idiopathic MPGN, treated with cyclophos and steroids. My BP is controlled and I have no proteinuria. Creat is 170 at baseline and eGFR 30%.

My immunsuppression regime is a bit unusual tacro/sirolimus/pred as I've had a lot of issues with HPV and pre cancerous cells on my vulva and cervix so came off Aza. I've had two episodes of transplant pyelonephritis over the 8 years of my graft and otherwise am very healthy. My periods in general would be irregular and have been that way for a long time but I went for some baseline fertility investigations and have a normal AMH and a good antral follicle count for my age.

What is the experience of any ladies out there conceiving and going through pregnancy with an eGFR of around 30%? Neph says I need to be conceiving in the next year or two to minimze risks to me and baby. Has anyone here conceived via IVF and what was that experience like? My partner and I would love two children but I would be over the moon to have just one.

Any advice or tips would be so greatly appreciated!
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