Tag: kidney or renal disorder

D&E, Potter Syndrome, Stories

My Little Lion

By Jessica C. Our son was two and we were ready to add on to our family. I became pregnant after our first try and we were very excited. I was a little nervous about my “advanced age” as I was 36 going on 37, but otherwise I felt good. We told our son about the baby, and asked him whether he thought it was a boy or a girl. He told us it was a lion. Later we learned our baby was another boy and our son’s prediction didn’t falter—our baby was a boy lion. We’d passed all the chromosomal tests for my “advanced age” and appeared to be in the clear. Once the first trimester […]

Fetal Hydrops, Induction/L&D, Polyhydraminios, Termination after 24 weeks

Jamie, at 32 Weeks

My husband and I weren’t yet trying for number three, but we always felt there would be one more baby for us. God had just decided it would be sooner than we’d thought. Little did we know where this was going to lead. My first trimester was met with extreme nausea and bleeding. Every time I had a heavy bleeding episode, I would think, This is it, this baby isn’t going to make it. My kind and understanding OB brought me in twice a week to see my baby, to let me know she was alive and kicking. Each time I saw her, I stared in […]

D&C, D&E

But I Did Everything Right

By Caleb’s Mother I was 23 and didn’t even know I was pregnant at first. I’d told my doctor I was really tired and I was having abdominal cramps. He felt my abdomen, said it was probably my appendix, and if it to erupted to go to the ER. A week later a coworker suggested I take a pregnancy test. In about 30 seconds it didn’t just turn pink, but purple! Yes, I am a single mom, but I never regretted my son. I had a career and was at a very stable point in my life. By 15 weeks I had already purchased Caleb’s bedroom furniture, set it up in his […]

Induction/L&D, Potter Syndrome, Stories

A Crushing Wait

By Renee’ It has been seven years since I said goodbye to my surprise baby, Zeb. In December of 2005 I discovered I was pregnant for the third time. It was not a planned pregnancy, but a welcomed one. Everything seemed to be moving along smoothly. On March 29, 2006, I had a mid-pregnancy ultrasound to check how things were progressing. I was in the blissful world, believing that this appointment was all about finding out the baby’s sex. My two sons, ages five and seven, were eagerly waiting to hear whether they would have a little brother or sister. Instead we heard, “Something is […]

Diagnosis Information, Potter Syndrome

What is Potter Syndrome?

Potter syndrome is not technically a syndrome, but kidneys failing to develop properly in the fetus. The kidneys normally produce the amniotic fluid as urine. Lack of amniotic fluid (oligohydramnios) leads to problems associated with Potter syndrome. Oligohydramnios occurs if the volume of amniotic fluid is less than normal for the corresponding period of gestation. This may be due to decreased urine production due to bilateral renal agenesis, obstruction of the urinary tract, or occasionally, premature rupture of the amniotic membranes (PPROM). Fetal urine is also critical to the proper development of the lungs by helping to expand the airways and supplying Proline, a critical […]