Renal Function in Pregnant and Non-Pregnant Women in Calabar, Nigeria

Abstract

Pregnancy affects the physiology of the pregnant woman, particularly the cardiovascular, renal and endocrine systems. In this study 120 adult women were divided into four groups of two non-pregnant and two pregnant women consisting of 30 women each. The non-pregnant were the nulliparous (control of 30 women) and grand multiparous women who had stopped gestation (GMS) for at least 2 years (30 women). The sixty pregnant women were divided into primigravidal (PG) of 30 women and gradmultiparous (GMP) of 30 women also. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was measured in these women using endogenous creatinine clearance (Ccr). The pregnant women were studied during their 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimester. The results show that control, PG, GMP and GMS groups had a mean GFR of 99.20 + 2.16, 115 + 3.41, 113 + 3.08 and 114 + 3.20 respectively. The mean GFR increased significantly (P<0.05) in gestational women compared with control women. The highest increase in GFR is during 2nd trimester which was significantly higher than 1st or 3rd trimester (P<0.001). It is concluded that renal function is affected during pregnancy by a significant increase in GFR.


Key Words: Pregnancy, gestation, nulliparous, primigravida, grandmultiparous, GFR (glomerular filtration rate), creatinine clearance.


Nig. J Health and Biomed. Sciences Vol.2(2) 2003: 73-77