Risks
If you are considering becoming pregnant, discuss these potential risks with your transplant team:
Hypertension
Transplant recipients have a high risk of hypertension (HTN) during pregnancy. This condition, also known as uncontrolled high blood pressure, can affect the amount of blood and nutrients the fetus receives or lead to premature delivery, pre-eclampsia or toxemia.
Talk to your doctor about certain blood pressure medications that are safe to use during pregnancy.
Infection
Although risk of infection is high for all transplant recipients, urinary tract infections (UTI) are the most common during pregnancy. Other infections that may cause concern for transplant recipients during pregnancy include herpes, hepatitis, toxoplasmosis and cytomegalic (CMV) virus.
Organ rejection
A major concern for transplant recipients is whether pregnancy will lead to loss of the organ (graft). Generally, in patients with good graft function and absence of severe hypertension, pregnancy does not affect graft function or patient survival.
However, to reduce risks to the baby, medication adjustments require close care during and post pregnancy.
Risks to the baby
One of the biggest risks to an unborn baby is related to immunosuppressive therapy. Studies vary on the effect of individual medications on an unborn baby during pregnancy, so it is important to discuss your medications with your doctor when you are planning your pregnancy. Medication adjustments are frequently needed.
Prematurity and complications of prematurity are also major risks for babies born to transplant patients. The severity of this risk may depend on the mother’s renal (kidney) function and control of blood pressure. In many cases, however, early delivery is common when risks to the mother outweigh premature delivery.
