Drugs in pregnancy. Renal disease

The management of pregnant women with renal impairment presents a major challenge to obstetricians, nephrologists, and ultimately paediatricians. As renal failure progresses there is an increase in both maternal and fetal complications. Often these women have intercurrent medical conditions and, prior to conception, are receiving a broad range of prescribed medications. A successful obstetric outcome relies upon careful pre-pregnancy counselling and planning, obsessive monitoring during pregnancy, and close liaison between different specialist teams. Experience is mounting in the management of pregnant transplant recipients, but the introduction of newer immunosuppressive agents which have great promise in prolonging graft survival present new problems for those recipients of a kidney transplant who are planning to conceive. We review drug prescription for pregnant patients with renal impairment, end-stage renal failure, or a kidney transplant.