Kids Kidney Research

Urinary tract malformations such as blockage of the bladder or kidney can be detected in the unborn child by ultrasound scan but the severity of these conditions is often difficult to predict, which may cause significant, unnecessary parental anxiety.  The focus of this research is to develop new tests to predict how badly affected the babies are using chemical analysis of the amniotic fluid: this is made by the fetal kidneys, surrounds the baby in the womb, and is routinely collected to check for abnormalities such as Down’s syndrome.

First, a bank will be established of amniotic fluid samples from pregnancies where we suspect there is blockage of urine flow via a network of centres that refer mothers/fetuses with kidney malformations. Then, factors will be measured that are abnormal in babies with malformed kidneys, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance and Proteomics, basic science techniques in regular use at the Institute of Child Health, will be used to look for other molecules.  

It will only be possible to examine a few samples within this pilot project, which may not be sufficient to identify all prognostic factors. These data will, however, provide critical support for a larger, more powerful study (which can include all of the patients we collect this time) in future grant proposals with a realistic chance of defining groups of important prognostic markers.

In the longer term, analysis of these factors could be incorporated into routine Obstetric and Fetal Medicine practice, and may identify cases that would benefit from fetal intervention.