title: Antenatal diagnosis and outcome in hydrops fetalis.
abstract: The records of 15 cases of hydrops fetalis consecutively delivered at our institution were reviewed to determine the accuracy of antenatal diagnosis and whether antenatal diagnostic techniques yielded information useful in predicting outcome. All 15 cases were detected antenatally, five were due to rhesus haemolytic disease and 10 were non-immune hydrops. All the infants required active resuscitation. Ten infants eventually died, two had immune hydrops fetalis and 8 non-immune hydrops. Seven infants had pleural effusions, all had been detected antenatally. The presence of pleural effusions did not influence mortality. All structural abnormalities were accurately detected in those patients seen prior to labour and there were no survivors in the group of infants so affected. We conclude that the mortality of non-immune hydrops fetalis remains high and that antenatal diagnosis of this condition is accurate and provides useful prognostic information.
authors: Department of Child Health, King's College Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
authors: P J
authors: PJ
authors: Thompson
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Greenough
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Brooker
authors: K H
authors: KH
authors: Nicolaides
authors: H R
authors: HR
authors: Gamsu
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015160:Hydrops Fetalis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000175:diagnosis; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D012203:Rh Isoimmunization / Q000150:complications; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal