Importance of PUV Health

The impact of postnatal valves on the overall health of an individual is significant. While it does immediately affect the urinary tract, um, it also, during the gestational period, during the pregnancy, it also impedes the development of the lungs. Uh, the lungs do need to have, uh, fluid around the baby, the amniotic fluid around the baby, in order for the lungs to develop properly and, and also to ensure that there are the appropriate number of components of the lungs called the alveoli, which are the little balloons that our lungs are made of. In children who have a lack of amniotic fluid, we know that they are born with fewer number of alveoli, and as a result they don't have any respiratory reserve. The amniotic fluid also serves to provide a buffer for the baby and prevent the uterus from squeezing too hard on the baby, and when there's no fluid, the baby's muscles and long bones also get deformed. Later in life, when because the bladder muscle has been deformed and affected during the course of its development, we will sometimes see that children have significant bladder dysfunction that can result in accidents, incontinence, and also urinary tract infections. And independent of the fact that some of these children may be born prematurely, we are seeing that when the kidneys don't work as well as they should, these children have a higher incidence of mal delays, behavioral issues, and the stress of living with a chronic medical condition can result in some psychosocial disturbances also. So the impact of post lethal valves is not just in the urinary tract, but it really affects the whole individual. The significance of postnatal valves is that, you know, the incidences, 1 in about 3000 to 1 in 8000 live baby boys are going to be affected with this diagnosis. And the healthcare burden is pretty significant. Between 24 to 45% of children born with postnatal valves are going to be at risk for chronic renal injury. That can progress to end stage renal disease and require either initiation of dialysis or a transplant.