Impact of pregnancy on the outcome of kidney transplantation

BACKGROUND: There is still controversy over whether pregnancy adversely affects renal transplantation outcomes. We, thus, compared two groups of kidney transplant recipients in terms of patient survival and allograft function: those who did versus did not conceive posttransplant. METHODS: This historical cohort study conducted between 1996 and 2002, divided female kidney transplant recipients of reproductive age into group I (n=86, at least one posttransplant pregnancy) and group II (n=125, no posttransplant pregnancy). The two groups were matched for age, cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD), treatment protocol, and first creatinine (Cr). All patients received a first transplant and all had a Cr less than 1.5 mg/dL on entry into the study. The subjects were followed for 45.4 +/- 22.0 and 46.3 +/- 19.8 months, respectively (P>.05). Five-year patient and graft survivals and Cr were considered to be the main outcome measures. RESULTS: Mean (SD) age in groups I and II was 26.6 +/- 6.6 and 26.9 +/- 8.1 years, respectively (P>.05). Five-year patient and graft survival rates were not significantly different between the study groups. Of the women in group 1, only 9 (10.5%) subjects displayed elevated serum Cr levels (>1.5 mg/dL) at the end of follow-up, while the serum Cr levels in 35 (28%) group II patients were above 1.5 mg/dL (P=.024). CONCLUSION: Our results indicates pregnancy did not seem to adversely affect patient and graft survival among kidney transplant recipients. Renal transplantation in stable women of childbearing age should not be a contraindication to pregnancy.