MARCH 20208idney disorders are a worldwide health concern with severe outcomes of kidney failure and premature mortality. It is currently the 8th leading cause of mortality among women. It comes as a shock to many, but the kidneys, each about the size of a fist, play a major role in a person's well-being.Prevalence of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) among women is as common as among men to the extent that women are 5 per cent more likely to develop CKD in comparison to men.CKD is also considered a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcome and reduced fertility. Women who have CKD are at increased risk of negative outcomes for the mother and the baby. Pregnancies in women with advanced CKD are most challenging with high rates of hypertensive disorders and pre-term births.What Causes Renal Disorders?Kidney diseases are mostly caused due to diabetes, high blood pressure, and hardening of the arteries. However, some of these diseases can also occur due to the inflammation of the kidneys. This condition is called Nephritis.Some anatomic disorders too can lead to Renal Diseases besides the ones resulting from metabolic disorders. The chances of the latter happening, however, are thin as the cases of metabolic kidney disorders are rare since they need to be inherited from both parents.The other causes may as well include blockage of the system that drains the kidneys or the medications that are toxic to the kidney tissue.Since the causes can vary, so can the symptoms. Some very common symptoms, however, are too much or too little urine, or passing of blood, or abnormal levels of chemicals in urine. But if the disease is caused by a bacterial infection, the first sign is a high fever. In case of moderate or mild kidney diseases, there are sometimes no symptoms at all.But to say that these do not cause any pain will be wrong. Kidney stones in the ureter are seen to cause some cramping pain that KIN MY OPINIONRENAL DISORDERS IN WOMEN: CAUSES AND PREVENTIONSBy Dr Sudeep Singh Sachdev, Nephrologist, Narayana Super Speciality HospitalDr Sachdev specializes in Haemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis, Renal Transplantation, Interventional Nephrology, Preventive Nephrology, amongst others
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