Patient's question:
I am 29 weeks pregnant. Yesterday, I went for a prenatal check-up. The color Doppler ultrasound showed that the fetal renal pelvis had dilatation, measuring 1.05mm and 0.55mm respectively. Is this normal? How can I prevent it? Please answer my question in detail. Thank you!Doctor's answer:
The separation of renal sinus in fetal bilateral kidneys can be graded as follows: Before 28 weeks of gestation, if the separation distance is greater than or equal to 4 mm, ultrasound examinations must be conducted during subsequent prenatal check-ups: 1. Follow up whether the separation distance increases or decreases. If it does not increase later, and the separation distance is less than or equal to 5 mm in late pregnancy, based on the previous follow-up results of pregnant women and their children's birth outcomes, it is generally not a problem. 2. If the separation distance increases later, and is greater than or equal to 5 mm but less than 10 mm, the bilateral renal separation in the fetus is still considered separation but has not reached the level of hydronephrosis. Follow-up observation is sufficient in the future. 3. If the separation distance of renal sinus in fetal bilateral kidneys is greater than or equal to 10 mm, it can be diagnosed as fetal hydronephrosis. If this condition persists and worsens, it may indicate ureteral stenosis or atresia, which prevents the fetus's urine from being excreted from the kidneys, thereby affecting the fetus's renal function. Therefore, further examinations are needed to determine the underlying cause.