Why born with one kidney

Physical exercise is healthy and good for you. However, it's important for someone with only one kidney to be careful and protect it from injury. This recommendation applies to anyone with a single kidney, including people who were born with one kidney and people with a kidney transplant.

Some doctors think it is best to avoid contact sports like football, boxing, hockey, soccer, martial arts, or wrestling. Wearing protective gear such as padded vests under clothing can help protect the kidney from injury during sports.

This can help lessen the risk, but it won't take away the risk. Talk to your healthcare provider if you or your child want to join in contact sports. You should always think about the risks involved in any activity, and carefully consider whether the risks outweigh the benefits.

Most people with one healthy kidney do not need to follow a special diet. If you have a kidney transplant due to kidney disease or kidney failure, you may have some restrictions.

If you have questions about your diet, talk to your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian. If you would like more information, please contact us. All rights reserved. This material does not constitute medical advice. It is intended for informational purposes only. Please consult a physician for specific treatment recommendations. Ultrasounds during pregnancy are part of routine prenatal testing. If a fetus is diagnosed with kidney agenesis or kidney dysplasia, health care professionals may recommend additional ultrasounds before and after the birth to find out how the solitary kidney functions over time and to check for other health problems.

In an adult, health care professionals may diagnose a solitary kidney during an x-ray, ultrasound, or surgery for some other condition or injury.

In some cases, your health care professional may perform additional tests to measure your kidney function. High blood pressure can damage blood vessels in your solitary kidney. When this happens, the kidney is not able to remove all wastes and extra fluid from your body. Extra fluid in the blood vessels can raise your blood pressure even more, creating a dangerous cycle, and cause more damage leading to kidney failure.

If your health care professional diagnoses you with high blood pressure, he or she may prescribe one or more blood pressure-lowering medicines. Medicines that lower blood pressure can also significantly slow the progression of kidney disease. Two types of blood pressure-lowering medicines, angiotensin-converting enzyme ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers ARBs , may be effective in slowing your kidney disease progression while also lowering your blood pressure.

A health care professional may also prescribe a diuretic. You should let your health care professional know if you have a solitary kidney to prevent injury from medicines or medical procedures. Certain sports may be more likely to injure the kidney. This risk is of particular concern with children, as they are more likely to play sports.

Talk with your health care professional about the specific sport and ways to lessen the risk of injury. Loss of the remaining working kidney will result in the need for dialysis or a kidney transplant. Skip Ribbon Commands. Skip to main content. Turn off Animations. Turn on Animations. Our Sponsors Log in Register. Log in Register. Ages and Stages. Healthy Living. Safety and Prevention. Family Life. Health Issues. Tips and Tools. Our Mission. Find a Pediatrician. Text Size.

Children with a Single Kidney. Page Content. However, as many as 1 in 1, infants are born with only one functioning kidney. In the past, most individuals did not know they had one kidney, and did not have any health issues. Today most women have an ultrasound during their pregnancy and most infants with a single kidney are discovered before they are born.