Hyderabad: When Manisha, a 32-year-old woman battling end-stage renal disease (ESRD), was diagnosed with an unplanned pregnancy during a routine scan for kidney transplant preparation, the news was as shocking as it was miraculous. On maintenance hemodialysis for over a year at ESIC Super Speciality Hospital (SSH), Sanathnagar, her chances of conceiving were medically next to impossible. But what followed was a rare triumph of medical science, teamwork, and the unwavering will of a mother.
Pregnancy in women undergoing dialysis is an uphill battle. According to global medical literature, conception itself is a rarity due to hormonal imbalances caused by kidney failure. And even when conception occurs, complications like pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), intrauterine death (IUD), and premature delivery are common, as per health experts. Fewer than 1 in 100 women on dialysis can carry a baby to term, as per reports.
When doctors informed Manisha of the risks, she was determined to continue. “Four years ago, I had to terminate a pregnancy due to health reasons. I couldn’t do that again,” she told her doctors, her voice firm with resolve.
By her second trimester, the anticipated complications began. Her blood pressure soared. The nephrology team modified her dialysis to slower, more frequent sessions — five days a week — carefully calibrating fluid removal to protect both her and the baby.