Menstruation, fertility and pregnancy

It is common for menstrual periods to become irregular when women develop kidney failure. When they go on dialysis, their periods often stop completely. If you are on dialysis you are unlikely to become pregnant. Don't rely on dialysis as a form of contraception, however. It is still possible to get pregnant, even if your periods have stopped.

If you are on dialysis and treated with medication for anemia, you may find that your periods return. This increases your chances of becoming pregnant. You should always use contraception to avoid an unwanted pregnancy.

Becoming pregnant can be hazardous to both a mother with kidney failure and to her baby. The main risk is that the mother will develop very high blood pressure and have a miscarriage.

If you have kidney failure and want to have a baby, you should discuss with your doctors. A successful pregnancy is usually possible if your blood creatinine is still fairly low.

However, a pregnancy during the early stages of kidney failure may make it necessary to start dialysis sooner than would otherwise have been the case.

There are many problems for women who become pregnant after the start of dialysis. The success rate for such pregnancies is somewhere between 40% and 50%.

There is a much better chance of success if you wait to become pregnant until after having a kidney transplant, especially if you wait for at least six months after the transplant operation.