A baby born without kidneys, a condition called bilateral renal agenesis, faces a grim prognosis. This condition is typically incompatible with life.
Understanding Bilateral Renal Agenesis
Bilateral renal agenesis means a baby develops without either kidney. Kidneys are crucial for filtering waste products from the blood and producing amniotic fluid. Their absence leads to several critical issues.
Detection and Diagnosis
This condition is often detected during prenatal ultrasounds. A key indicator is oligohydramnios, which is a deficiency in amniotic fluid. Amniotic fluid is vital for lung development.
Consequences of Missing Kidneys
- Lack of Amniotic Fluid: Without kidneys producing urine, the amniotic fluid level is drastically reduced. This impedes lung development, leading to pulmonary hypoplasia.
- Potter Sequence: The lack of amniotic fluid also causes physical deformities known as Potter Sequence. These include flattened facial features and limb abnormalities.
- Inability to Filter Waste: The baby's body cannot eliminate waste products, leading to a build-up of toxins.
Survival Rate
According to the reference, approximately 40% of babies with bilateral renal agenesis are stillborn. Those born alive typically survive only a few hours due to severe respiratory distress and organ failure.
In Summary
Bilateral renal agenesis is a severe and often fatal condition where a baby is born without kidneys. The absence of kidneys leads to a lack of amniotic fluid, impaired lung development, physical deformities, and an inability to filter waste, usually resulting in death shortly after birth.
