Transplant Mum In Medical First

Newcastle Herald

Monday April 19, 1999

DOCTORS have reported the first successful pregnancy following a combined pancreas and kidney transplant in Australia.

A healthy boy was delivered by caesarian section at 34 weeks when the mother, from Mudgee, central NSW, started to develop severe hypertension.

Renal trainee Dr Lukas Kairaitis said in The Medical Journal of Australia the pregnancy was one of 20 recorded worldwide.

Pancreas and kidney transplants offer a cure for diabetes and renal failure.

The mother had suffered a miscarriage at 18 weeks following deteriorating kidneys, high blood pressure and pneumonia.

She became pregnant after the double transplant and while on a range of pharmaceutical drugs.