Hydrops Fetalis (Hydrops Fetalis)

Hydrops fetalis: causes, symptoms and treatment

Hydrops fetalis is a serious disease that manifests itself as an accumulation of fluid in the tissues and body cavities of the fetus. This condition can lead to serious consequences, including fetal death. In this article we will look at the causes, symptoms and treatments for hydrops fetalis.

Causes of hydrops fetalis

There are many causes of hydrops fetalis, but the most common is hemolytic disease of the newborn. This disease occurs when the Rh factor of the mother and fetus is incompatible. If the mother has Rh negative blood and the fetus has Rh positive blood, the mother's immune system begins to produce antibodies against the fetal blood, which can lead to the destruction of the fetal red blood cells and the development of anemia. As a result of anemia, the volume of fetal plasma increases, which leads to the development of hydrops.

Also, fetal hydrops can be caused by other reasons, such as congenital heart defects, lung and kidney diseases, infections, gastrointestinal tract abnormalities, etc.

Symptoms of hydrops fetalis

The main symptom of fetal hydrops is an increase in the volume of fluid in the tissues and body cavities of the fetus. This usually manifests itself as swelling, especially noticeable in the face, abdomen and limbs. An increase in the size of the liver and spleen, disruption of the heart, rapid heartbeat, poor circulation and breathing, and ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity) may also be observed.

Treatment of hydrops fetalis

Treatment for hydrops fetalis depends on the cause of its occurrence. If dropsy is caused by hemolytic disease of the newborn, then a repeat intrauterine transfusion can be performed - transfusion of fetal blood through a thin needle into the abdominal cavity. This allows you to save the life of the fetus and prevent the development of dropsy. In other cases, surgery may be required.

In conclusion, hydrops fetalis is a serious condition that can lead to severe consequences. However, with timely diagnosis and treatment, many fruits can be saved. If you suspect that you are developing hydrops fetalis, be sure to seek medical help.

Hydrops fetalis: Causes, symptoms and treatment

Hydrops fetalis, also known as hydrops fetalis, is a serious condition characterized by the accumulation of fluid in various cavities of the fetal body. This condition manifests itself at the birth of a child with severe edema, especially in the abdominal and pleural cavities, which often leads to tragic consequences and threatens the life of the child. In this article we will look at the causes of hydrops fetalis, its symptoms and treatment methods.

There are many reasons that can cause the development of hydrops in the fetus. One of the most common causes is hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN). HDN occurs when the mother and fetus have different blood types, and the mother's antibodies begin to attack the fetus' red blood cells. This leads to the destruction of red blood cells and the release of large amounts of bilirubin, leading to severe anemia in the fetus. As a result, the fetus tries to compensate for the loss of red blood cells by increasing the volume of circulating blood and leading to the accumulation of fluid in the tissues and cavities of the body.

In addition to HDN, hydrops fetalis can be caused by other conditions and diseases. Some congenital heart defects can lead to impaired fetal cardiac function and poor circulation, which contributes to the development of edema. Lung and kidney diseases can also be factors causing hydrops fetalis.

Various tests are performed to diagnose hydrops fetalis, including fetal ultrasound, amniocentesis (taking fluid samples from the membranes), and fetal blood testing. This allows you to determine the cause of the development of dropsy and choose the most effective treatment method.

Treatment for hydrops fetalis depends on its cause and the severity of the fetal condition. In the case of hemolytic disease of the newborn, repeat intrauterine transfusion may be performed to replace damaged fetal red blood cells with healthy ones. This is a procedure in which blood from a donor is injected into the fetal abdomen. Repeated transfusions help save the lives of many infants who suffer from hemolytic disease and develop hydrops.

In some cases, early induced miscarriage may be necessary to prevent deterioration of the fetus. In addition, doctors may suggest other support methods, such as drug therapy and radiation, depending on the underlying cause of the hydrocele.

However, it is important to note that despite available treatment options, the prognosis for fetuses with hydrops often remains poor. This is because hydrops fetalis often results from severe and irreversible damage to fetal organs and tissues. In some cases, when the condition of the fetus is so severe that its life is at risk, a decision may be made to terminate the pregnancy.

In conclusion, hydrops fetalis is a serious condition that requires immediate medical attention. The causes of dropsy can be varied, but most often it is associated with hemolytic disease of the newborn. Early diagnosis and determination of the cause of hydrops allows choosing the most effective treatment methods, including repeated intrauterine transfusions. However, the prognosis for a fetus with hydrops is often poor, and in some cases termination of pregnancy may be necessary.

Hydrops fetalis: what it is and the reasons for its development

**Fetal hydrops** (hydrops, fetal hygroma, fetal hydrops) is a rather rare complication of pregnancy, characterized by the appearance of significant, rapidly growing edema in the internal organs and spaces of the child’s body. To refer more specifically to the accumulation of fluid in any particular cavity within or above the body, terms such as "ascites", "pleural or abdominal hydrops", "pericardial hydrops", etc. are used. Hydrops most often leads to the death of a fetus or newborn. Despite the fact that the incidence of such a complication is only 0.07-0.2% during normal pregnancy in women of childbearing age, hydrops can lead to serious consequences. The main reasons for the development of complications are diseases of the mother and fetus, primarily a violation of hemoglobin formation due to the development of hemolytic disease of newborns. Therefore, the more correct term would be “hemolytic hydrops.” General information about the disease

Until the end of the 19th century, an increase in amniotic fluid during normal development of the embryo and its condition was always interpreted as a possible phenomenon that was expected during pregnancy. This happens because the uterus, as it grows, gradually compresses the fibrous-muscular layers of the bottom of the decidua of the uterine cavity, where the fetus developed. The consequence of this process is an increase in pressure inside the amniotic sac, which causes a slight increase in fluid. However, if the fertilized egg does not receive this damage as a whole, then, oddly enough, after a short-term increase, the amniotic fluid quickly returns to its normal volume. This observation led to the fact that the phenomenon when signs of an increase in the volume of the amniotic cavity are already significant in size began to be regarded as the result of extremely unfavorable changes. Although some authors call an increase in fluid volume a harbinger of an unfavorable course of gestation, others note the possibility of fetal illness at even earlier stages. Thus, it is known that the absence of changes in the volume of fluid in the amniotic sac does not always mean a good course of the gestational process (this is confirmed by numerous cases of absence of changes during the progression of hydrops fetalis). According to evidence from past years, the disease manifests itself when the fetus has already reached sixty weeks of development, and it reaches an anatomical size that contributes to the appearance of respiratory disorders. If we assume that the disease is transmitted by transmission of infection from mother to fetus through blood, then gestational anomaly occurs in the first trimester. There is an opinion according to which the disease becomes the result of a congenital anomaly of the cardiovascular system.