20 week scan - Baby has 1 kidney

[Olive158]

We had l our 20 week scan yesterday and all was fine until we are told the baby only has 1 kidney (renal agenesis). We spoke to a doctor and we have to go for another scan on Wednesday. I am sick with worry. I don't know how worried to be or what to expect. I keep googling and it says you can live a normal healthy life with 1 kidney but that's if everything else is okay. It seemed to be before that but I just don't know what to expect. I am trying to not think the worst.

A slightly different situation but my husband was born with only 10% function in one kidney and had it removed soon after birth. He has been totally fine. Wishing you the best of luck.

You definitely don't need 2 kidneys to live a normal life. One is sufficient- the one kidney grows larger to make up for being solo. The majority of cases are solitary with no other abnormalities so statistically your baby should be fine.
When are you seeing the obstetrician next?

My fiends child was born with 2 kidneys, but only one works and hes never had a problem hes 13 this year

Sorry I missed the fact you're having another scan on Wednesday- I haven't had my coffee yet this morning 🤦🏼‍♀️
Try and distract yourself before then- though far easier said than done!

The fetal medicine doctors will help you work out what the risks are, unfortunately none of us here can do that. It's a very scary time for you. An anecdote to reassure you, I have a septate uterus which was picked up when I was trying to conceive, when it was diagnosed, the doctor said she needed to refer me to a scan to confirm that I have two kidneys (as the congenital 'defect' that causes the septum apparently can also cause only one kidney). I laughed and said I'm 30 years old, I'd clearly know if I only had one kidney, and she said absolutely not, people can live their whole lives never knowing and it's often picked up on scans. So hopefully that is reassuring that just having one kidney isn't going to be a disaster, but it is still very scary whilst you wait to see if there's anything else xx

My dp's aunt (aged nearly 60) was randomly found to have only one kidney a few years ago. It was an incidental finding, and she has always been completely healthy and had no issues.

I have one kidney and have lived a normal life (aside from my mother obsessively worrying about it and restricting activities I did as a child!)

Best of luck for next scan x
I know a woman who only found out she had only one half functioning kidney after her 4th child

A girl I went to school with was born with one kidney , although it was slightly larger than normal and she lived a normal life. I think the only thing she had to be careful about was making sure she treated any utis or kidney infection straight away.

I have no practical experience that's useful, just wanted to offer moral support.

My grandad was in his 60s when he found out that he had only 1 kidney. He led a very active and adventurous life.

My brother has one kidney, he was born with a faulty valve no one realised until a scan when he was 18months 😬 poor baby! But his one kidney overcompensated to make up for only having one... it's double the size of a normal kidney and does the work of both! Super kidney haha

I think if babies/kids are born with a defect the body is amazing in working with what it's got :) hope this reassures you a bit :)

Very scary time for you and I can't imagine anything we say will distract you from thinking about this for long.

If it helps to hear positive stories... one of my friends was born with 1 kidney, always had to be careful as she got kidney infections easily but she's got a 2 year old boy, has just got married and is living her best life. By complete coincidence her mother and father also each only have 1 kidney!

I was born with only one kidney. It was only discovered from scans when I was in my late 30s and was a complete surprise. It's a bigger kidney than normal, and does the work of 2 perfectly well. As a pp remarked, I have to be on the ball with watching out for uti and water infections, but apart from that, I'm fine. I hope everything goes well with you and your little one.

I have only one working kidney - had most of the other one removed when I was four due to a nasty infection.

My work colleague also has only one kidney - he was born with just one and only found out in his early forties.

I just have to be very quick about urine infections and drink plenty of water - my consultant always says "nice light pee please." I used to get them about once a year but since having children my renal function has actually improved.

Your baby will most likely be monitored by the renal unit for a while but please try not to worry as lots of us with one kidney lead very normal lives. It will seem so scary for you because it's not something you've come across before so if you can, try to find our experiences reassuring.

My brother was born with 1 kidney. The other one grew bigger to compensate! My mum discovered in her 40s she only had 1 that worked. There is no genetic link there apparently. It is of course worrying, but hopefully that is the only issue.

My Mum was born prematurely and with one kidney. She lived until she was 73 (and it was skin cancer caused by sun exposure that got her in the end, not kidney issues.)

I appreciate you must be very worried. But it is perfectly possible to live a normal life with one kidney.

My friend only has one kidney and didn’t even know until she had to have an operation a couple years ago to remove cysts and has lived a normal life with no clue

My ex husband only has one kidney which wasn't diagnosed until he was in his 50s

Subsequently our daughter, who's now 32 had a scan which revealed she also only has one.
Both of them lead normal and active lives.