Talk

You can survive perfectly well on one kidney. Dd2 had a friend who was born with only one functional kidney. She had to be scanned to check it wasn't becoming infected, but it actually gradually was absorbed by the body until it had gone.

Dd2 was born without her left hand (seen at the scan). It is very scary and, from my experience, I mourned the loss of the perfect baby. But once she was out, it didn't matter, and almost all of the things I'd worried about haven't happened yet and she's 10yo!

Don't google it though. Having googled dd2's condition (after she was born) I would say there's more misinformation out there (especially US sites with self proclaimed "doctors") than correct stuff.

And even if it's correct, you tend to get the extreme cases. No one starts a blog saying "My dc had this health issue and it turned out to be nothing" really.

My children didn't have any issues, but when ds was born they found I had a bicornate uterous, and I was told to get an ultrasound after the birth as it was quite likely that I only had one kidney. This didn't seem to be thought a very big deal, so I'm guessing that it's perhaps not as uncommon as you might imagine. I can totally understand why it was a very scary thing to hear, and I'm sorry that you have to wait six weeks to find out more, that will be very hard for you.

My little one has the same thing - one functioning kidney and one multicystic job! He's fine, growing beautifully (now 4 months) and pees like a good 'un. They did a check on his working kidney with a micturating cystogram, which is an x-ray of his urine flow, when he was tiny and will do another in a year or so. He has prophylactic antibiotics every day to keep urine infections at bay, but that's all. Don't panic, all will be well.

Thank you so much for your re assuring words annaliviaplurabelle - god bless you and your little boy and may he continue to grow happy and healthy

My 92 yr old grandmother was born with only one kidney, she was in hospital a while back with a chest infection and I saw her blood results, despite living all her life with only one kidney she still has completely normal kidney function!

Thank you to all who have replied its really appreciated!

At my 20 week scan my doctor said my dd had the same. But by the time she was born the multicystic kidney had shrivled. She has one perfectly good kidney and the way the doctor describes it is 9 percent of s second kidney. Shes had no problems at all. Potty trained brilliantly ( I wasnt sure if having 1 kidney would affect this) shes been on antibiotics since birth. Just 4ml. Shes just turned 5 an the doctor had taken her of her meds