What is antenatal hydronephrosis?
Hydronephrosis is a condition in which the collecting tubes inside the kidney are stretched or swollen with trapped urine. When an ultrasound shows this condition in an unborn baby, it is called antenatal hydronephrosis. Antenatal hydronephrosis can be a normal part of kidney development. It may correct itself before the birth of the baby. This is true in about 50% of cases. In the other 50%, hydronephrosis persists after birth. It can result from a blockage. Usually the blockage is at the point where the ureters (tubes that carry urine from kidney to bladder) join the kidneys. The blockage prevents urine from flowing out of the kidneys to the bladder. We do not know why this blockage occurs. Your unborn babys development will not be affected by this condition. You can expect a normal pregnancy and delivery.
