Pregnancy in 4 women with childhood-onset steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome

Abstract

Four women with childhood-onset steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome (SSNS) had 5 pregnancies. Their age at onset of SSNS was between 4 and 10 years, and age at pregnancy was between 21 and 31 years. Three patients with frequent relapsing nephrotic syndrome (NS) continued to relapse after 20 years of age. Two of them had relapses during 6–32 gestational weeks of pregnancy and were treated with prednisolone (PSL) 10–45 mg/day. One patient delivered a normal baby on 2 pregnancies. Another developed superimposed preeclampsia and her infant showed asymmetrical type of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). There was no relapse during pregnancy in 2 patients, including 1 with frequent relapses, who had no relapse over 5 years preceding the pregnancy. In all four patients, normal renal function and complete remission were noted at the last follow-up. Their 5 infants were well at 1–7 years of age. Although hypertension, growth failure of the placenta, and IUGR of the baby may complicate the pregnancy, most pregnancies with SSNS seem to result in normal birth, even when relapses occur during pregnancy and are treated with PSL.