A Systematic Review on the Impact of Pregnancy on Renal Graft Function

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Renal transplantation (RT) represents the optimal treatment for end-stage renal disease (ESRD), offering improved quality of life and restored fertility in women post-transplant. While post-transplant pregnancies are possible, they can lead to complications including pre-eclampsia, graft dysfunction, and other adverse outcomes. This study evaluates existing literature to assess pregnancy's impact on kidney transplantation outcomes, specifically long-term graft function and survival. Methods: We conducted a systematic review of English-language literature from January 2000 to September 2023 across multiple databases, following PRISMA guidelines. We established inclusion criteria focusing on graft function and adverse events. Two independent reviewers performed data extraction, and we assessed risk of bias using the ROBINS-I tool. Results: From 4917 articles, we included 26 studies encompassing 1202 pregnancies in 902 kidney transplant recipients. Mean maternal age was 30.8 years, with an average interval of 52 months between transplant and pregnancy. Pre-pregnancy hypertension occurred in 54.2% of cases, and pre-eclampsia developed in 25.7%. The live birth rate reached 70.5%, while miscarriage, stillbirth, and neonatal death rates were 11.3%, 2.7%, and 2.5%, respectively. We noticed graft dysfunction during pregnancy in 20.2% of cases. Though kidney function often deteriorated temporarily, most patients recovered post-delivery. Discussion: Post-transplant pregnancies remain viable but high-risk, with elevated rates of obstetric complications. Our findings highlight the need for standardized data collection and reporting to better understand and manage pregnancy's impact on graft outcomes. Conclusions: With appropriate management, pregnancy in kidney transplant recipients is feasible, though it carries elevated risks of obstetric complications. We recommend further multicenter studies with standardized data collection to improve understanding and outcomes.