Pregnancy outcomes after kidney transplantation-immunosuppressive therapy comparison

J Matern Fetal Neonatal Med. 2012 Aug;25(8):1363-6. doi: 10.3109/14767058.2011.634461. Epub 2011 Nov 25.

Abstract

Objective: To assess maternal, neonatal and graft outcomes after pregnancy in patients with kidney transplantation, and to compare the immunosuppressive therapies used.

Methods: Review of 29 pregnancies in 23 patients with kidney transplantation, managed at La Fe University Hospital, Valencia. Immunosuppressive therapies with Cyclosporine-A, Tacrolimus, Mycophenolate mofetil and Azathioprine were compared.

Results: No statistical differences were found in perinatal or maternal complications, with respect to the immunosuppressive therapy used. There were no differences between therapy and graft survival. Maternal complications occurred in 25 out of 28 deliveries. The most common were anemia (75%) and hypertension (53.6%). Of the 29 pregnancies, 26 were live deliveries, two were stillbirths and one was a miscarriage. The median birth weight of newborns was 2650 g (900-4350 g). From the 28 deliveries, maternal complications were reported in 25 patients. Perinatal complications were recorded in 55.6% of the patients, with prematurity being the most common (44.4%) type. One malformation was reported, this was a cleft palate in a 25 year old patient who was treated with mycophenolate mofetil.

Conclusion: Pregnancies in patients with kidney transplantation should be considered high-risk pregnancies because of the higher rate of maternal and perinatal complications. Immunosuppressive therapies have not shown differences in maternal or perinatal outcomes.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Abortion, Spontaneous / epidemiology
  • Adult
  • Azathioprine / adverse effects
  • Azathioprine / therapeutic use
  • Cyclosporine / adverse effects
  • Cyclosporine / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Graft Survival
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / adverse effects
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Kidney Transplantation* / adverse effects
  • Kidney Transplantation* / rehabilitation
  • Kidney Transplantation* / statistics & numerical data
  • Mycophenolic Acid / adverse effects
  • Mycophenolic Acid / analogs & derivatives
  • Mycophenolic Acid / therapeutic use
  • Pregnancy
  • Pregnancy Complications / diagnosis
  • Pregnancy Complications / epidemiology*
  • Pregnancy Complications / therapy*
  • Pregnancy Outcome / epidemiology*
  • Stillbirth / epidemiology
  • Tacrolimus / adverse effects
  • Tacrolimus / therapeutic use
  • Transplantation Conditioning / adverse effects
  • Transplantation Conditioning / statistics & numerical data
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Cyclosporine
  • Mycophenolic Acid
  • Azathioprine
  • Tacrolimus