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ULTRASOUND IN FETAL
HYDROPS |
Fetal hydrops is defined as the excessive accumulation of fluid in fetal subcutaneous tissue or at least two fetal serous cavities. A scoring system based on the number of serous spaces involved has not proven to be predictive of outcome (1).
- No apparent increased risk for congenital anomalies (2).
- Fluid in the pericardial cavity.
- Fluid in the pleural cavity.
- Fluid in the peritoneal cavity (ascites).
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Pulmonary hypoplasia |
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Non-immune
hydrops – Turners syndrome |
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Video clip of
Fetal Hydrops in Parvovirus B19 infection
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- Thickened subcutaneous tissues (anasarca) - skin thickness >5mm. It is important to distinguish fetal macrosomia (excessive fat in the subcutaneous layer of a fetus of a diabetic mother).
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- Thick placenta.
- Thick placenta may be found in maternal diabetes mellitus, Rh immunization, non-immune hydrops or in normal pregnancies.
- Thin placenta.
- Pregnancies with non-immune hydrops complicated by IUGR, pre-eclampsia or diabetic angiopathy may result in a thin placenta.
- Polyhydramnios may also result in thinning of a normal or thick placenta.
- Hepatomegaly - Table of normal liver length.
- Polyhydramnios or oligohydramnios.
- Dilatation of the umbilical vein.
- A detailed survey of the fetus is essential to determine the underlying cause.
- Doppler finding in non-immune hydrops.
REFERENCES |
- Hutchinson AA, Drew JH, Yu V et.al. Nonimmunologic hydrops fetalis: A review of 61 cases. Obstet Gynecol 1982;59:347.
- Levy R, Weissman A, Blomberg G et.al. Infection by parvovirus B19 during pregnancy: A review. Obstet Gynecol Survey 1997;52:254-259.
- Fourouzan I. Hydrops fetails: Recent advances. Obster Gynecol Sur 1997;52(2):1997.