Lose a part, gain a part
November 13, 2008 8:26 AM Subscribe
I might be called upon to donate a kidney very soon to a family member. This may sound dim, but in my early-mid 30s, will I still be healthy enough to have a first baby?
Best answer: Anecdotal, but perhaps helpful - my mother was an OB nurse for decades and she has definitely delivered babies (even first babies!) to women with one kidney. It certainly has been done.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 10:28 AM on November 13, 2008
posted by grapefruitmoon at 10:28 AM on November 13, 2008
Best answer: Living donors should talk to their physician about pregnancy and have good pre-natal care.
The risks of donation are something that should be gone through extensively with a physician before you are called upon. Really, it's almost their job to talk you out of it.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 10:43 AM on November 13, 2008
The risks of donation are something that should be gone through extensively with a physician before you are called upon. Really, it's almost their job to talk you out of it.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 10:43 AM on November 13, 2008
Best answer: Speaking as a living kidney donor (almost 8 years ago now), talk to your doctor and the transplant doctor about any concerns or questions you may have. The transplant department generally will have meetings for people that going through this that are very informative.
I am not a doctor, nor female- but it shouldn't be an issue- depending on the transplant method, your level of physical fitness, you health history, etc. so I guess I'm saying... talk to your doctor :D
Trust me, even if you are tested and called upon, they will not withhold any information from you.
posted by tj at 11:03 AM on November 13, 2008
I am not a doctor, nor female- but it shouldn't be an issue- depending on the transplant method, your level of physical fitness, you health history, etc. so I guess I'm saying... talk to your doctor :D
Trust me, even if you are tested and called upon, they will not withhold any information from you.
posted by tj at 11:03 AM on November 13, 2008
Best answer: Long story short, but my wife (29 y.o.) has only one kidney (the 2nd and THIRD were removed for non-donation reasons). She gave birth to two healthy baby boys two weeks ago.
Her doctor had her on antibiotics during the entire pregnancy to prevent UTI and kidney infections (she was prone to UTIs growing up & kidney infections are something you definitely don't want during pregnancy). Some other things that came up during pregnancy -- but can also be issues during non-pregnancy -- were that she couldn't take ibuprofen (it's tough on your kidneys) and she could only be placed on a slight IV drip during labor because getting a full-on IV is too much liquid for her kidney to process efficiently (in the past, she's gotten pulmonary edema from IVs) . Basically, the slow IV meant the epidural had to be administered in smaller doses which is only a problem if you're going to have a super-fast labor and/or the epidural needs to be re-administered (both of which happened to my wife -- babies came out like 10 minutes after the 2nd epidural took effect).
posted by puritycontrol at 1:57 PM on November 13, 2008
Her doctor had her on antibiotics during the entire pregnancy to prevent UTI and kidney infections (she was prone to UTIs growing up & kidney infections are something you definitely don't want during pregnancy). Some other things that came up during pregnancy -- but can also be issues during non-pregnancy -- were that she couldn't take ibuprofen (it's tough on your kidneys) and she could only be placed on a slight IV drip during labor because getting a full-on IV is too much liquid for her kidney to process efficiently (in the past, she's gotten pulmonary edema from IVs) . Basically, the slow IV meant the epidural had to be administered in smaller doses which is only a problem if you're going to have a super-fast labor and/or the epidural needs to be re-administered (both of which happened to my wife -- babies came out like 10 minutes after the 2nd epidural took effect).
posted by puritycontrol at 1:57 PM on November 13, 2008
the 2nd and THIRD were removed for non-donation reasons
what
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 7:58 AM on November 14, 2008
what
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 7:58 AM on November 14, 2008
Developmentally, you go through three sets of kidneys. Sometimes they don't all go away, or the tissue which would have been a kidney divides into smaller ones which may or may not have the right plumbing since they have to go through some gymnastics during fetal life to get to the right place. Kidney embryology in mammals is fascinating.
posted by a robot made out of meat at 9:28 AM on November 14, 2008
posted by a robot made out of meat at 9:28 AM on November 14, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Siobhan at 8:40 AM on November 13, 2008