My baby was born with 4 kidneys — she’s thriving despite the very rare condition

Isis Eloah Ferreira Alves made quite an entrance when she arrived prematurely in 2022.

The Brazilian tot was born with four kidneys — an extremely unusual congenital anomaly that is difficult to find in medical literature, Jam Press reports.

“My daughter is rare and unique,” ​​Isis’ mother, Thalia Silva Alves, 21, told local media.

Doctors realized that Isis had a kidney problem when she was in the womb, but they weren’t sure exactly what it was.

It was only when Isis was undergoing surgery at 5 months old that medics confirmed she had not one but two accessory kidneys.

Most people are born with two kidneys — though about 1 in 1,000 babies are born with just one.

The presence of one or more extra kidneys is called supernumerary kidneys or accessory kidneys.

It’s a condition so rare that fewer than 100 such cases have ever been documented.

Extra kidneys are believed to be caused by the abnormal division of the nephrogenic cord on the embryo wall during pregnancy.

The kidneys may or may not be fused to the other kidneys — and they may go unnoticed throughout life.

After being born prematurely via C-section at Hospital Regional de Sobradinho in Brasília, Isis was placed in an incubator.

When she needed surgery at 5 months old, doctors at Hospital da Criança de Brasília José Alencar discovered that she had been born with four kidneys.

Her upper-right kidney was removed after an obstruction led to a build-up of urine.

This caused the kidney to increase in size, compressing her stomach and intestines, so eating was cumbersome.

Isis’ removed kidney cannot be donated because its blood vessels aren’t entirely normal, which would make transplant difficult — but it has been sent for lab analysis.

Her remaining three kidneys function normally.

Pediatric urologist Hélio Buson, who operated on Isis, told local media: “People might ask, ‘Well, can these kidneys cause any issues in the future?’ They might, but it’s also possible that absolutely nothing will happen.”

“Therefore, clinical monitoring is required for an extended period, many years, probably until she reaches adulthood,” he added.

Now 13 months old, Isis is often hospitalized because every time she gets the flu, she ends up with pneumonia.

Her lungs are fragile due to her premature birth and long sedation.

Despite Isis’ motor delays, her mother says she is trying to lead a normal life.