Report from the National Transplantation Pregnancy Registry (NTPR): outcomes of pregnancy after transplantation

• Published in: Clinical transplants p. 103
• Main Authors: Armenti, Vincent T, Radomski, John S, Moritz, Michael J, Gaughan, William J, Hecker, William P, Lavelanet, Antonella, McGrory, Carolyn H, Coscia, Lisa A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 2004
• Subjects: Breast Feeding - adverse effects; Female; Heart Transplantation; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents - adverse effects; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Kidney Transplantation; Liver Transplantation; Lung Transplantation; Male; Organ Transplantation - statistics & numerical data; Pancreas Transplantation; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Registries; United States; United States
• ISSN: 0890-9016

The NTPR maintains an ongoing active database to study the safety of pregnancy in transplant recipients and currently includes the outcomes of more than 900 female recipients who became pregnant after their transplant and just over 700 male recipients who fathered one or more pregnancies after receiving a transplant. Analyses include the long-term follow-up of the recipient's graft status and their offspring. Successful pregnancy outcomes have been noted for each solid organ recipient group. The Registry includes information on 1,097 pregnancies in 716 kidney recipients, 187 pregnancies in 111 liver recipients, 56 pregnancies in 38 P/K recipients and smaller numbers for other organs and combinations of organs. There are periodic reports of recipients with graft dysfunction, rejection, or graft loss that may be related to pregnancy events, though the majority of outcomes reported to the NTPR appear favorable for parent and newborn. Organ-specific issues and comorbidities must also be considered in analyzing outcomes. The pregnancy issues that face recipients and caretakers with the current newer adjunctive therapies and newer immunosuppressive regimens require ongoing study. The potential risk of teratogenicity must be weighed against the potential risk of rejection when altering drug regimens before planned conceptions or in making dosage adjustments during pregnancy. Unplanned pregnancies present obvious concerns. Pregnancy safety has not been established for either MMF or sirolimus and all centers are encouraged to report pregnancies with exposures to these agents to the NTPR. Continuing analyses are directed at potential effects of the newer immunosuppressive regimens, not only to identify any risks to the pregnancy from immediate exposure, but also for potential postpartum exposures such as from breastfeeding. As the registry study design allows for continued contact, efforts continue to accrue long-term follow-up of both parent and child.