The pregnancy outcomes in patients with stage 3–4 chronic kidney disease and the effects of pregnancy in the long-term kidney function

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pregnancy outcomes for patients with stage 3–4 chronic kidney disease (CKD) and the effects of pregnancy on kidney function. METHODS: Clinical data of pregnant women with CKD in the Peking University First Hospital between January 1st 2005 and October 1st 2016 were retrospectively analysed. The pregnancy outcomes of patients with different stages of CKD were compared. Patients with stage 3–4 CKD were followed up by telephone interview, and non-pregnant patients with stage 3–4 CKD were selected using the propensity score method to analyse the effects of pregnancy on kidney function. RESULTS: A total of 293 women with 300 pregnancies met the study criteria. There were 30 cases of stage 3–4 CKD. The incidence of adverse pregnancy outcomes of patients with stage 3–4 CKD was significantly higher than that with stage 1 CKD. The mean postpartum follow-up time of pregnant patients with CKD was 49.0 ± 33.1 months. A total of 26 cases of stage 3–4 CKD were followed up. During the follow-up period, 8 patients progressed to ESRD. A total of 28 non-pregnant patients with stage 3–4 CKD were selected as the control group. The results of multivariate analysis revealed that pregnancy did not increase the risk of deterioration of kidney function. CONCLUSION: Patients with stage 3–4 CKD in early pregnancy had a significantly increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Pregnancy itself did not seem to accelerate kidney disease progression in patients with stage 3–4 CKD.