20 weeks scan cyst on kidney

[Qwerty1984]

Hi all,

I went for my 20 week scan today and my baby is absolutely fine apart from cysts on the left kidney. Unfortunately the sonographer would not tell me anything more. I have been referred for further scans but I for now I am really anxious and worried. Living in the unknown is stressing me out. Can someone please share their experiences with me? Can cysts go away? Can there be complications at birth? What tests need to be carried out? So confused and so many questions!

Hey, no experience (sort of) with being pregnant and baby’s kidney having a cyst pointed out on a scan.

But I went for a scan a couple years ago with presumed gallbladder pain, they said it could have been a gallstone passing through... but also noted that I have a kidney cyst.

I’ve never known about it, only found out at this scan for another reason, the sonographer told me that I was probably born with it and it probably won’t ever affect me.

I think they can make you slightly more susceptible to kidney infections but I’ve only had one after a nasty bought of cystitis.. which I’ve only ever had once (didn’t wee after sex like an idiot)

I wouldn’t worry too much, they’re probably extremely common, but anything that isn’t classed as ‘100% normal’ has to be noted down :)

Just like pp, i also found out i had a cyst on my kidney when I went for a gallbladder scan a couple of years ago.
I did suffer from repeated kidney infections as a child but can't remember ever being told I had a cyst (and neither can my parents) so I'm unsure if I was born with the cyst and thats what caused the infections or if the repeated infections caused the cyst.
I'm 37 now and haven't had any issues for 20 years. It seems I just grew out of it.
I'd try not to worry too much (I know that's easier said than done). I think they are more common than people realise.

Hey @Qwerty1984. 32 weeks pregnant here and in the same situation as you. My baby has a cyst on his/her right kidney, picked up at 20 week scan. I done loads of research and this is what I found:

Single cysts (aka Simple cysts) are quite common, many people have them and are nothing to worry about. Cyst may shrink to disappear by the time baby arrives.

Multiple cysts can indicate a problem called Multi-cystic kidney syndrome (I think that's the right name). If this is in one kidney it's usually not too big a problem. It can mean only one kidney functions properly but the child is usually fine with jist one functioning kidney.

If there are multiple cysts on both kidneys I think it's more of a problem but as with everything will depend case by case.

For us, my baby has a simple cyst. We have had 2 extra scans at 26 weeks and 30 weeks. Thankfully the cyst seems to be shrinking or not growing whilst baby is growing normally. The kidney also seems to be functioning ok (amniotic fluid is ok).

Once baby is here he/she will need another scan but the consultant didn't think there was anything to be concerned about.

Hope that helps, good luck!

Also... I know it's a really worrying time when sometimes comes up at 20 weeks so a few other things I was told:

If the fluid around baby is ok this is generally a good sign (shows one or both kidneys working)

If your next scan is in 1-2 weeks time the sonographer will have flagged it as "low risk" ie a small abnormality but generally not too concerned

Someone also said to me "as anomalies go, this is the one you want as it's generally fixable".

Hopefully the consultant will fill you in a bit more on your next scan. Good luck!

@Qwerty1984: I also had a 20 weeks scan with one of the baby's kidney larger and brighter than average. Not sure if it's a hydronephrosis or a cyst. Have you had a second scan with the specialist booked in yet? They refer me over to the specialist.

I have my referral appointment at the renal clinic on 12th Jan. Amniotic fluid is normal which makes me feel positive. Fingers crossed. Thanks for the words of encouragement

My baby had visible cysts on her left kidney at her 20 week scan and it ended up being diagnosed as multicystic kidney. She's now a very healthy little girl. I cried and I cried when I found out but she really was ok... PM me if you need more info OP.

Chin up xx

Hi OP I haven’t posted on here for a long long time but often read threads still! My son was diagnosed with MDK at the 21 week anomaly scan, one kidney was cystic, the other kidney appeared fine. We were scanned every 4 weeks to monitor growth and fortunately everything continued to progress well. Understandably, you are worried. It was the unknown that bothered me the most, I had questions that the midwives couldn’t answer, really all they could do was monitor and then investigate when he was born. My son had a scan at a day old and they found the cystic kidney had involuted back into his body which was the best outcome we could have asked for, and his remaining kidney was great. He was put on 3 months of low dose antibiotics from birth to prevent UTI’s whilst they ran tests to
Make sure he didn’t have reflux and therefore potentially damage his good kidney, but because his kidney disappeared he was discharged at a year. Ordinarily I was told they would monitor for 10 years and treat accordingly to what they find along the way. My son is now 9 and you’d never think he was any different to any other child. Fingers crossed all turns out ok for you and your little one

@Qwerty1984 I have the scan tomorrow. I would let you know the information from the doctor. I'm surprised that your second scan is so late. When I asked them for appointment(fetal medicine unit), she said scan within 5 days is the policy.
It was a relief for us as well that the anomic fluid is normal. I'm hoping it's just one kidney not functioning well, and not both. And it's something can monitor and fix at early age. Still worrying sick, but trying not to stress myself out. I wonder though if avoid eating high soldium and potassium food can help (I Google these seems not recommended with kidney issues). Good luck with the scan.

@Zoemelb thank you so much please do let me know. Good luck x

@Qwerty1984 Just finished my scan. The doctor said my LO has Kidney Dyplastic. Not sure the cause yet, we will have another scan on Monday (further referral for specialist) for further diagnosis. But most likely LO will only have one functioning kidney. We will need more monitor, and scan during pregnancy and after birth. Also to identify if we need operation to remove the bad kidney.

The doctor couldn't see the heart clearly to remove other markers for Down Syndrome etc (our case is still very low risks so far). We have however decided to go for non invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), will have to pay privately, mostly for piece of mind.

Still trying to come to term that LO will only have one kidney. and hoping the other one working well (it's working well and normal so far).

@zoemelb sorry to hear that. Sending you lots of love. Please remain positive and remember that it is still low risk. Thank you so much for updating me. Xx

@Qwerty1984Sorry for borrowing your post.

@LolaLollypop @PlentyofToys @CheesePleaseLoueese I wonder if I should ask to see kidney specialist or a urologist instead. Who did you see during the pregnancy and after birth?

I had a scan with sonographer where she said the left kidney bigger, brighter and possible of cysts or dialated. Second scan few days later at the Pediatrician has identified similar thing but no mentioning of cysts, with diagnose of possible dyplastic kidney. We didn't know what was dyplastic kidney means so didn't ask if he saw cysts and how many. Only goolge later found out it means either Multicystic Dyplastic kidney (MCDK) or polycystic dysplastic kidney. And either case, kidney has cysts. So I'm not sure how did the dr identify it's dyplastic kidney instead of hydronephrosis (My understand is hydronephoris is dialated kidney and can be fixed after birth).

The bad kidney does show very large (23x13x13) vs. the good kidney (17x.10x10). Could it be because it's very large and identify as MCDK? I did ask for what is the average kidney size for 20 weeks to be, but noone has given the straight answer. I'm worrying that the good kidney is also larger than normal.

The dr also worries about Down Syndrome risk. Hence 3rd scan at the obstetrician for the heart and further diagnose. Is there a high link between Down Syndrome and Kidney dyplastic? We opted for NIPT test because of this (will need to pay privately), instead of amnio test (I want to avoid risk of miscarriage).

I just wonder if I should ask to see the kidney specialist instead so that in case they diagnose it wrong and left the still functioning kidney not treated too long after birth. And the good kidney needs to be checked also for 100% functioning? I have heard several case where they thought it was cysts during pregnancy but turned out not to be after birth.

I think the plan for now is to for me to see the obstetrician next week, then maybe further scan during pregnancy with the pediatrician to monitor the kidneys and growth (not sure if it will be 4 or 6 weeks in between).

I have heard that at later stage of pregnancy if the baby abdomen shows too big (because of the kidney?), we should opt for C-section or induce earlier? Has it ever mentioned in your later scan?

Thanks

Hi all,
I know this is a few weeks old but finding myself in the same boat with all the same questions!! Just wondered what updates you have?
I'm going through slightly similar at the moment in that I'm 30 weeks pregnant with dd with suspected duplex or more likely cystic dysplasia as right kidney is showing very abnormal and with what looks like lots of cysts at the moment, been told that until she born we won't really know what it is exactly but will need to go home on antibiotics and then follow up for firm diagnosis Also mentioning possible genetic links as she also very small but have had a cvs at 12 weeks which was clear as bloods were high risk but apparently this doesn't always pick everything up!

My friends dd had this diagnosed in utero only after birth could they confirm only one kidney was affected, it had to be removed at 4 days old. She was prone to bladder infections as a baby but the positive news is she is a fit and healthy adult now! Albeit with only one kidney

Sorry for delay in responding @zoemelb
I hope you have far more information now that we are a month along...

To answer some of your questions in the meantime-

1. I saw a kidney specialist after my baby was born but not before. My antenatal care was excellent and many of my questions were answered before I gave birth. My baby had a confirmed MCDK diagnosis by 20weeks so I went off and did a lot of reading around the condition and I got a lot of information that way. Any remaining questions were answered by my consultant (and later the kidney specialist when I went to see him.) Everyone kept stressing that living with one kidney was fine and that the condition would not be life limiting for my child. My LO had regular check ups with the consultant paediatrician at our local hospital until LO was 5. We have been told to come back in a few years time just before adolescence starts just to check that the remaining kidney is working well still.

1. It is common (and - I believe - in fact desirable) in MCDK for the contralateral kidney (the "normal" non cystic kidney) to grow larger than a normal to compensate for loss of overall function. This happens naturally in utero and on into childhood... Therefore some of the kidney function deficit (resulting from only having one working kidney...) is compensated for by the other kidney growing larger.

1. Sometimes in babies and small children the cystic kidney shrinks away to nothing without the need to remove. My baby's did not shrink, so at age 3 my LO had keyhole surgery to remove it. The surgery went well and my LO bounced back and was out of hospital the next day.

1. I had a c-section delivery but that was largely due to my choice - the antenatal team would have supported me if I had wanted a vaginal delivery.

Hi, my bby also diagnosed with smple kidney cyst at 24weeks scan..i want to ask you, what happen when you delivered your baby? Did the hospital put your baby in Nicu or your bby can go home with you?

@CheesePleaseLoueese
@PlentyofToys
@Qwerty1984

One large (appears to be twice the size of the kidney) and very bright kidney was seen at my 20 week scan alongside one normal looking kidney. Normal amniotic fluid levels. I was re-scanned the following day - same, then a week later - still the same.

I'll be scanned throughout the pregnancy, no cysts were seen though but I wonder if they're there just small hence the kidney being echogenic.

I am absolutely losing my mind 😔
Since it was unilateral, did the doctors mention the possibility of autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease? Did they say if there was risk the other kidney might start appearing the same?
Not much was said to us and I just don't know what to think.

Hi BC87 - I’m so sorry to hear that. The doctors mentioned at my 12 week scan (with a diagnosis that was then confirmed at my subsequent 20 week scan) that 3 spots were seen on the malformed kidney and it was likely to be MCDK. But they waited until the subsequent scan to confirm that. From what I remember there was no discussion around recessive polycystic kidney disease - I don’t think they thought this was likely given how my daughter’s kidney presented. The medical team did, however, warn me that the second (contralateral) kidney might still have issues (and that was even if the MCDK diagnosis was confirmed, and even if “only” unilateral…) My daughter therefore had further tests to rule any issues out, when she was born.

Have you raised your concerns with the team? Understandably this is making you very concerned / anxious and I would stress that at your next scan/ check-up. Even if they can’t make a confirmed diagnosis, at this point, they might be able to give you an idea of the range of potential diagnoses?

Wishing you all the best (and for your little one!!)