Renal calyx dilatation in pregnant women

The article was professionally consulted with Master, Doctor Nguyen Van Thanh - Obstetrician and Gynecologist - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital.

Renal dilation in pregnant women needs to be cared for and treated according to its own regimen. If not treated promptly, it can lead to the risk of kidney and urinary tract infections and adversely affect the fetus.

Renal pyelonephritis is understood as the process of dilatation due to hydronephrosis of the kidney. The process of dilating the renal calyx will gradually make the kidney deformed, the kidney will enlarge and thin. The kidney is now shaped like a bag of water and is at risk of rupture at any time.

During pregnancy, a woman has many anatomical changes in the nervous and urinary systems such as the size of the uterus and kidneys due to the growth and compression of the fetus, the ability to excrete urine is also reduced. obstruction, thereby gradually forming water retention and causing dilatation of the renal calyces, if not treated promptly, it can lead to the risk of kidney-urinary infections in pregnant women and adversely affect the fetus. .

Dilatation of the renal pelvis and ureter is usually detected by ultrasound and pyelonephritis. However, to be able to detect whether a pregnant woman has this disease, it is necessary to do related tests, so that the doctor can assess the damage to the kidneys and ureters.
Renal pyelonephritis is divided into 3 levels:
Grade 1 pyelonephritis: For pregnant women with this mildest level, only periodic monitoring and functional tests can be performed. of the kidney to find the cause and have specific treatment methods in each different case. Grade 2 pyelonephritis: When the renal pelvis of the pregnant woman is dilated markedly, it is compressed, causing the kidneys to narrow, communicate with each other and converge to the renal pelvis. Grade 3 pyelonephritis: When a pregnant woman is at this stage, it means that the kidneys have become very waterlogged. The renal pelvis and calyx are dilated into a large indistinguishable cyst from the renal pelvis. The kidneys at this time will be very large and dangerous for both the pregnant woman and the fetus.

Cause Due to kidney stones, ureteral stones make the ureteral tube blocked, thereby causing urine to stagnate, unable to reach the bladder, leading to fluid retention in the kidneys. Cancer, bladder stones, then the contraction at the bladder neck will no longer be as normal, blocking the flow of urine and causing the kidneys to retain water. There are also some other causes such as prostate cancer in pregnant women, bladder dysfunction.... Symptoms Typical symptoms warning pregnant women are having dilated renal pelvis:
Abdominal pain , pain usually starts from the hip and back gradually spreading to the groin, in addition, there are other accompanying symptoms such as sweating, nausea. There may be blood in the urine. In the case of chronic pyelonephritis, there will be simple signs such as fatigue, nausea, heart rhythm disturbances, muscle spasms.... or there may be no obvious signs. .

To assess the extent of the disease depends on the cause of the disease. Treatment also depends on the cause. Patients should consult a doctor directly.
Regarding the diet, pregnant women should eat normally, drink plenty of water, exercise gently.
Pyelonephritis is classified as an increasingly common and increasing kidney disease, and hydronephrosis can be treated by many different methods.
Therefore, when abnormal symptoms appear during pregnancy, you should be examined and consulted with a specialist.