Beware of Kidney Disorder Risks in Premature and Low Birth Weight Infants
Infants born prematurely or with low birth weight require extra attention, not only in the early stages of life but also in the long term. One of the health risks lurking is impaired kidney function due to the incomplete formation of organs.
Paediatric nephrology specialist from Pondok Indah Hospital, Dr. Henny Adriani Puspitasari, Sp.A., Subsp.Nefro, explained that the kidneys have a specific formation period during pregnancy. This process begins at eight weeks of gestation and only reaches completion around 36 weeks.
“We know that kidneys also have a formation period. If a baby is born prematurely (before 36 weeks), it means the kidney function is not yet fully formed,” Henny said during a health discussion in Jakarta, quoted on Sunday (21/6).
The core of kidney problems in premature babies lies in the number of nephrons. Nephrons are the smallest functional units in the kidney responsible for filtering blood and removing metabolic waste. Babies born prematurely tend to have fewer nephrons compared to those born full-term.
This condition forces the existing kidneys to work harder (hyperfiltration) throughout the child’s life. The excessive workload increases the risk of various future health problems, such as high blood pressure (hypertension) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) as they reach adulthood.
Although current medical technology allows premature babies to survive into adulthood, Dr. Henny reminded that monitoring kidney health must not be neglected. Kidney disease in children is often “silent” or does not show typical symptoms in the early stages.
The doctor, who is also active in the Indonesian Paediatric Society (IDAI), urged parents to routinely monitor their child’s growth and development periodically. Regular health check-ups are key so that if there is a decline in kidney function, treatment can be carried out as early as possible.
“Children with risk factors need to be monitored earlier so that if there is impaired kidney function, it can be detected and treated as early as possible,” concluded the graduate of the University of Indonesia’s Faculty of Medicine.