Pregnancy and renal tubular acidosis

Renal tubular acidosis (RTA) is uncommonly encountered in pregnancy. The risk for these women to develop pregnancy-induced hypertension has not been previously described. The renal defect noted in these women, aggravated by the normal hypervolemia of pregnancy, may predispose to hypertension. Three pregnancies in two women with RTA type 1 developed persistent diastolic hypertension in the third trimester. Mild renal insufficiency was noted in each woman as defined by serum creatinine of 0.9-1.1 and 1.4-1.6 mg/dL, respectively. Vaginal delivery was achieved in each without complications. Blood pressures returned to normal following each pregnancy. Pregnancy-induced hypertension developed in each of three pregnancies in two patients with RTA type 1. The risk for these women to develop pregnancy-induced hypertension may be associated with the higher reported risk in women with underlying renal disease.