An Overview on Fertility Outcome in Renal Transplant Recipients

Background: The number of patients undergoing renal transplant are increasing with time. Most of these patients fall in the reproductive age group, who are going to conceive sooner or later. But there are few recipients who either are infertile before transplant or became infertile due to underlying renal pathology responsible for transplantation.

Objective: To study fertility outcome in female renal transplant recipients.

Materials And Methods:

Study Design: This is a retrospective study conducted at tertiary health center in Ahmedabad, from 2004 to 2014.

Inclusion Criteria: Renal transplant recipients in the reproductive age group (20-40 years of age) were followed up in gynecology outdoor patient department.

Sample Size: There were 211 female renal transplant recipients, out of which 113 (53.5 %) patients had complete family, 3 (1.41 %) patients were infertile, 16 (7.58 %) patients have conceived, 33 (15.63 %) patients were lost to follow-up and remaining 46 (21.8 %) did not try for pregnancy.

Exclusion Criteria: Unmarried patients, divorced and widow patients were excluded.

Results: Out of 19 patients, 16 patients conceived and 3 were infertile. The main cause of infertility in these patients was ovarian factor in 2 patients and tubal factor in 1 patient. Among 16 patients, 8 patients had missed abortion, 2 patients had preterm deliveries and 6 patients had term deliveries.

Conclusion: Peritransplant and preconceptional counseling plays an important role for renal transplant recipients to help them understand the effect of renal pathology and transplantation on their fertility. They can have good fertility and pregnancy outcome with optimum functioning graft.