title: Anatomic and functional changes of the upper urinary tract during pregnancy.
abstract: An appreciation of the maternal physiologic adaptations that occur in the renal system during pregnancy is fundamental to the understanding and proper clinical management of normal pregnancy, renal disorders in the gravid patient, and pregnancy-specific conditions such as pre-eclampsia. In this article, the authors first address the anatomic changes that occur in the upper urinary tract in normal pregnancy, followed by the dramatic alterations in maternal renal hemodynamics and glomerular filtration. They also briefly discuss renal handling of various substrates in pregnancy, including protein, uric acid, and glucose. An understanding of these changes is important and relevant to the clinician caring for pregnant women.
authors.affiliation: Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Magee-Womens Hospital, Room 2225, 300 Halket Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15206, USA. ajeyabalan@mail.magee.edu
authors.forename: Arundhathi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jeyabalan
authors.forename: Kristine Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lain
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D014513:Ureter / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology*