Soft makers: Dilated Kidneys

Some babies with chromosomal abnormalities can look completely normal on ultrasound. So, as a high risk pregnancy physician, I look for what’s called soft markers (or subtle hints that something’s going on). One of these hints is dilation of your baby’s kidneys during pregnancy.  Kidneys filter blood and rid waste of blood through urine. If urine is blocked inside of the kidney, they look enlarged (dilated) on ultrasound.  This can sometimes be the only hint that there could be Down syndrome or another genetic problem. Other times, this can be something completely normal that resolves over time.  Learn more about what enlarged kidneys in your baby could mean by downloading and listening to this episode now!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.