comprehensive guide

Periodic reviews during pregnancy reveal many medical problems in the fetus, including enlarged kidneys in the male fetus, details in the following.

All you need to know about the enlarged kidneys in the male fetus or what is known as fetal hydronephrosis (Fetal Hydronephrosis) to you through the following:

Kidney enlargement in the male fetus

It is a swelling of the kidneys when a lot of urine collects in the renal pelvis as a result of obstruction of the normal flow of urine in the ureter, and therefore urine is not allowed to flow into the bladder, which increases pressure on the kidneys and causes them to swell.

The severity of an enlarged kidney depends on the size of the enlargement and the extent of the obstruction. If not corrected, it can cause the kidneys to lose their ability to produce urine.

Enlarged kidneys may appear in fetuses of both sexes, as one or two fetuses are diagnosed with enlarged kidneys out of every 100 pregnancies, but the incidence of enlarged kidneys is more common in male fetuses than in female fetuses.

Causes of enlarged kidneys in the male fetus

In some male fetuses with enlarged kidneys, specialized doctors may not be able to find a cause for its occurrence, and in many cases the enlarged kidney disappears on its own, and this is what is known as transient hydronephrosis.

In other cases, kidney enlargement occurs for several reasons, some of which are mentioned in the following:

Blockages can occur in various places along the urinary tract.

Reflux or reverse flow of urine.

The fetus is not growing enough, allowing the pelvis to expand more than usual.

The presence of an extra ureter in the fetus.

Infection of the fetus with a polycystic kidney, which is a congenital defect in which the kidneys do not work as they should.

Diagnosis of enlarged kidneys in the male fetus

Here are the details about the diagnosis of enlarged kidneys in the fetus in the following

1. Prenatal diagnosis

Specialist doctors can diagnose an enlarged kidney in a male fetus before birth through an ultrasound examination of a pregnant woman, which enables them to see the fetus’s organs and form an image of its structure, as it shows that parts of the urinary tract are enlarged, including the kidneys.

In addition, medical professionals recommend a follow-up ultrasound to see if an enlarged kidney in a male fetus is getting worse or better over time. Prenatal tests may be done to try to find the cause of the enlarged kidney or to confirm the presence of other health problems.

2. Postpartum diagnosis

After the birth of the child, the doctor will conduct a set of tests to see if the problem of enlarged kidneys still exists and to find out what kind of treatment the child needs, including:

Ultrasound examination: During the test, the child''s kidneys and bladder are examined, which shows whether the enlargement of the kidneys is improving or not.

Kidney tests: These checks show how well the baby''s kidneys are working.

X-rays: These pictures show how well the baby''s bladder is working.

Bladder and urethral emptying examination: This examination shows how the urinary tract and bladder function in a child during urination.

Treatment of enlarged kidneys in the male fetus

After diagnosing enlarged kidneys in a male fetus before birth, the mother should see a pediatric urologist between the 20-30 weeks of pregnancy to monitor his condition, as the condition is likely to disappear either before birth or in the first months after birth.

The treatment plan for enlarged kidneys is determined by the urologist based on the extent of the enlarged kidney before birth to treat the underlying cause, as enlarged kidneys are classified on a scale of first degree, meaning simple kidney enlargement, to grade four, meaning a severe case of enlarged kidney.

Here are the treatment options for enlarged kidneys in a male fetus after birth

Kidney enlargement from first to third degree

The problem of enlarged kidneys here can resolve on its own without receiving treatment over time, and the child is given antibiotics to prevent kidney infections, which often have very few side effects.

Grade 4 renal hyperplasia

Many doctors resort to surgery to correct the problem, and this solves the underlying problem in the vast majority of cases.