Kidney Birth Defects
Kidney Health Care - David Mangusan Jr., PTRP
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Kidney diseases or disorders can develop while the baby is in the mother's womb. Two fact sheets from the Kidney Health Care web site, explain two of these disorders: kidney dysplasia and medullary sponge kidney.
Kidney Birth Defects
Kidney dysplasia, which occurs during fetal development, is a condition in which the internal structures of one or both of the baby's kidneys fail to develop normally. Dysplasia commonly occurs in only one kidney. Babies with just one working kidney can grow and develop normally with few health problems. However, fetuses with dysplasia in both kidneys may not survive pregnancy and, if they do, they will need dialysis or a kidney transplant early in life.
Medullary sponge kidney (MSK) is a birth defect in which cysts form in the inner part of the kidney -- or medulla -- keeping urine from flowing freely through the kidney's inner tubules. While many people with MSK have no symptoms, problems such as blood in the urine, kidney stones and urinary tract infections could develop, but usually much later in life -- around ages 30 to 40. MSK rarely leads to more serious problems, such as total kidney failure. Learn more about medullary spong kidney.
The fact sheets, "Kidney Dysplasia" and "Medullary Sponge Kidney," explain signs and symptoms as well as diagnosis and treatment.
Reference: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
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Page Last Revised: February 26, 2011
Kidney Birth Defects
Kidney dysplasia, which occurs during fetal development, is a condition in which the internal structures of one or both of the baby's kidneys fail to develop normally. Dysplasia commonly occurs in only one kidney. Babies with just one working kidney can grow and develop normally with few health problems. However, fetuses with dysplasia in both kidneys may not survive pregnancy and, if they do, they will need dialysis or a kidney transplant early in life.
- Learn more about kidney dysplasia.
Medullary sponge kidney (MSK) is a birth defect in which cysts form in the inner part of the kidney -- or medulla -- keeping urine from flowing freely through the kidney's inner tubules. While many people with MSK have no symptoms, problems such as blood in the urine, kidney stones and urinary tract infections could develop, but usually much later in life -- around ages 30 to 40. MSK rarely leads to more serious problems, such as total kidney failure. Learn more about medullary spong kidney.
The fact sheets, "Kidney Dysplasia" and "Medullary Sponge Kidney," explain signs and symptoms as well as diagnosis and treatment.
Reference: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease (NIDDK), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
[Top of Page]
Page Last Revised: February 26, 2011
