title: Successful outcome of idiopathic nonimmune hydrops fetalis treated by maternal digoxin.
abstract: Nonimmune hydrops fetalis (NIHF), occurring in 1 in 2,500-3,000 live births has a reported mortality rate of 50-98%. A similar mortality rate for intrauterine death of fetuses with NIHF probably exists. Many fetal pathological entities have been implicated as causing the condition, but to date, treatment has only been found for cases of fetal tachycardia complicated with hydrops. During a routine ultrasonographic survey of a woman at 32 weeks of gestation, we detected a fetus with severe ascites. There was no apparent etiology, and although no tachycardia was evident, low dosage transplacental digoxin therapy was immediately initiated. The hydropic condition completely resolved within 17 days and at 39 weeks of gestation, a perfectly normal baby was born after a spontaneous and uneventful labor. This is the first report of successful treatment of idiopathic NIHF with maternal digoxin.
authors.affiliation: Misgav Ladach General Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chavkin
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kupfersztain
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ergaz
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guedj
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Finkel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stark
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D004077:Digoxin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D015160:Hydrops Fetalis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011263:Pregnancy Trimester, Third; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal
chemical_list: D004077:Digoxin