Renal Allograft Function and Cardiovascular Risk in Recipients of Kidney Transplantation After Successful Pregnancy

Successful pregnancy is one of the better indicators of quality of life for women who are of child-bearing age with restored fertility after kidney transplantation. Our objective was to evaluate whether pregnancy represented a risk factor for worsening of renal function or for cardiovascular disease among renal transplant recipients. From 1976 to 2007, we followed 30 successful pregnancies in 27 renal recipients in our hospital; three women had two twin gestations. We compared this population with 27 women with renal transplants who were not pregnant. They were of similar ages at transplantation (pregnant 31.1 +/- 5.4 years vs not pregnant 31.3 +/- 5.4 years, P = NS) and similar evolution time between kidney transplantation and pregnancy (51.5 +/- 36 months vs 47.2 +/- 41 months respective; P = NS). There were no acute rejection episodes or graft losses. Renal function measured by serum creatinine and MDRD4 at the end of pregnancy was lower among the pregnant compared with the control group: mainly, 1.1 +/- 0.2 mg/dL versus 0.9 +/- 0.2 mg/dL (P = .05), and 66 +/- 20 mL/min/1.73 M 2 versus 80 26 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (p = .03). At 1 and 10 years, renal function was similar among the groups. Ten pregnant women developed preeclampsia (37%) and three, gestational diabetes mellitus (11%). There was one major cardiovascular event (4%; acute myocardial infarction) among the pregnant group, whereas there were two in the control group (7.4%; stroke and severe hypertensive retinopathy). One death occurred in each group secondary to cardiovascular complications. Our results showed that successful pregnancy after renal transplantation did not represent a long-term risk factor to worsen renal function and or produce severe cardiovascular complications. Therefore, pregnancy should be promoted. for young women with renal transplants that show excellent function.