KIDNEY-TRANSPLANTATION AND PREGNANCY - EX PERIENCE IN 6 PATIENTS

From 1983 to 1991, six pregnant women healing a renal transplant were admitted at the P Universidad Catolica de Chile Clinic Hospital. All o f them were under immunosuppressive therapy with azathioprine and pred nisone. One patient was also receiving cyclosporine. Four had cronic h ypertension; 1 presented intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy; 2 prem ature rupture of membranes, and 3, preeclampsia (superimposed to croni c hypertension), There were no abortions, The median gestational age a t delivery was 35.5 weeks. Only one of the six newborns was small for gestational age; the others were of appropriate size. There were no ne onatal problems or congenital anomalies. Deterioration of the renal fu nction was observed in two patients. One patient presented rejection t o the transplanted kidney. Pregnancy following renal transplantation i s not exempt of risks, but multidisciplinary management, close prenata l control and opportune interruption of gestation play a key role in t he successful outcome of these pregnancies.