Although it is established that bronchopulmonary sequestration complicated by fetal hydrops carries a high risk of perinatal mortality, prenatal management remains controversial. Therapeutic options include immediate delivery, medical therapy based on an inotropic regimen, alcohol ablation of the vascular pedicle, open fetal surgery, or thoracoamniotic shunting of fetal pleural effusions. ...

The frequency, symptoms, and complication rate of PUD seem to decrease during pregnancy. Yet clinicians often have to treat dyspepsia or pyrosis of undetermined origin during pregnancy because the frequency of pyrosis significantly increases during pregnancy, and clinicians reluctantly perform EGD during pregnancy for pyrosis to differentiate reliably between GERD ...

The Ce antigen is expressed on red cells of individuals with Rh haplotypes, R1 or CDe and r' or Cde. However, anti-Ce is rare, and only two cases of severe haemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) caused by this antibody have been described (Malde et al., 2000; Wagner et al., ...

Neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (NAIT) results from maternal immunization against fetal platelet antigens and can occur during the first pregnancy. The most common complications of NAIT are neonatal thrombocytopenia, intracerebral hemorrhage, and fetal death. Most cases of NAIT in Caucasians are caused by anti-HPA-1a (PlA1). Anti-HPA-5b (Bra) accounts for only 4.3 ...

OBJECTIVE: The authors conducted a retrospective study of obstetric and genetic data, obstetric problems, and pregnancy outcome by investigating 149 pregnancies of patients who received genetic counselling because of hemophilia A or B over a 20-year period. METHODS: In cases with a heterozygous mother, fetal sex was determined. In 23 ...

The development of an acute parvovirus B-19 infection during pregnancy can cause pregnancy complications ranging from early pregnancy loss to nonimmune hydrops. There is no treatment, but preventive measures can be used to decrease perinatal mortality. The diagnosis is made on the basis of clinical suspicion and serology. If the ...

Fetal pleural effusions can sometimes be detected before birth with ultrasonography. Intervention may be warranted when there is a condition that results in hydroplastic lung and/or fetal hydrops. A 22-week-old fetus with a severe pleural effusion and hydrops was successfully treated by long-term pleural drainage with a double basket catheter ...

BACKGROUND: Repeated plasmapheresis was used to prevent fetal death from severe anti-Kell alloimmunization until intrauterine transfusions were feasible. CASE: Repeated maternal plasma exchanges (N = 40) beginning at 7 weeks' gestation were used to treat severe anti-Kell alloimmunization. Ultrasound examination at 19 weeks' gestation revealed diffuse hydrops in this fetus ...

We present a case of a nulliparous woman who underwent oxytocin contraction test because of abnormal cardiotocograph. She delivered a severely anemic neonate due to severe fetomaternal hemorrhage. Fetal ultrasonography and Doppler studies of the umbilical arteries may not be helpful, while its worthy to perform flow cytometry for detection ...

Adverse pregnancy outcome due to human parvovirus B19 (hereafter referred to as "parvovirus B19") has been characterized, in numerous reports, as an event that occurs during the first and second trimesters and is strongly associated with symptoms of fetal hydrops. Recent findings have indicated that parvovirus B19-associated intrauterine fetal death ...

BACKGROUND: In the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal Deaths (CEMD) Report, the very high risk of mortality in women who refuse blood transfusions is highlighted. The objectives were to establish current knowledge about, and views of transfusion in our pregnant population and to establish the level of compliance with the set ...

Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome is characterised by oculocutaneous albinism and haemorrhagic diathesis. The bleeding tendency that is associated with this autosomal recessive disease is caused by storage-pool deficiency and has been reported to be controllable by prophylactic administration of 1-desamino 8D-arginine (desmopressin, DDAVP). The DDAVP prophylaxis at the first delivery of our ...

Hemolytic disease of the newborn secondary to rhesus alloimmunization was once a major contributor to perinatal morbidity and mortality. Today, rhesus immune globulin has markedly decreased the prevalence of this disease so that only one to six cases occur in every 1000 live births. The rarity of this condition warrants ...

A total of 135 obstetric patients who were first-time transfusion recipients at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital were studied with respect to the incidence and clinical severity of urticarial transfusion reactions (UTR) in relation to the number of previous pregnancies. The overall incidence of UTR was 12.6%. Analysing the ...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to review consecutive pregnancies complicated by twin oligohydramnios-polyhydramnios sequence (TOPS) and to clarify the probable factors influencing the perinatal outcomes. METHODS: Twenty-five pregnancies with a diagnosis of TOPS were treated with and without amniocentesis. A poor perinatal outcome was defined when either perinatal ...

OBJECTIVE: Pericardial teratomas are rare congenital tumors which invade the developing mediastinum, compressing the venous return to the heart, leading to hydrops. Tumors, with large cystic components, have been treated previously with in utero pericardiocentesis with some success. We present the first reported case of in utero open resection of ...

Post-transfusion purpura (PTP) is a rare disorder characterized by severe thrombocytopenia developing seven to 10 days following transfusion of platelet-containing blood components, in a person who was previously sensitized via transfusion or pregnancy. Although most cases of PTP are caused by alloantibodies directed against HPA-1a[(Pl(A1))], this case represents the second ...

BACKGROUND: Thrombocytopenia, defined as a platelet count of less than 150,000/microL, has been more commonly diagnosed in pregnant women in the last 20 years because platelet counts are included with the automated blood cell counters. Evaluation and treatment of this condition can be expensive and invasive and can result in ...

Rhesus (Rh) isoimmunization presenting as severe neonatal hemolytic disease is rare in RhD negative primigravidas of Chinese ethnicity. We report the case of a 32-year-old pregnant Taiwanese woman, RhD negative, who gave birth vaginally to two RhD-positive full-term fetuses 6 years apart. Antenatal follow-up was uneventful and there was no ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the incidence, characteristics, and impact on perinatal outcome of the development of hydropic signs in the donor fetus after laser coagulation for severe twin-twin transfusion syndrome in the second trimester. METHODS: Forty cases of second-trimester severe twin-twin transfusion underwent fetoscopic laser coagulation of placental anastomoses and were ...

OBJECTIVE: To compare second-trimester maternal serum analyte values in Down syndrome pregnancies with, and without, hydrops fetalis. METHODS: Seven hydropic and 85 non-hydropic Down syndrome pregnancies were identified among women with positive second-trimester maternal serum screening results. Values for maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), unconjugated estriol and ...

The perinatal outcome of the anaemic fetus has dramatically improved over the last 20 years, as a result of early recognition of the problem and treatment by intrauterine transfusion. Traditionally assessment of the anaemic fetus relied on obstetric history and maternal antibody titre, which proved to be inadequate tests to ...

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Cystic adenomatoid malformation of the lung (CAM) diagnosed in utero has a variable natural history that may result in hydrops in up to 40% or regress in up to 15%. No criteria have been available to determine which lesions would grow and develop hydrops versus those whose growth would ...

Fetal/neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia results from a maternal alloimmunization against fetal platelet antigens. Care must be taken in making a correct diagnosis that eliminates other causes of thrombocytopenia that may occur during pregnancy. Biological diagnosis is normally made by platelet genotyping and search for the maternal alloantibody using monoclonal antibodies in ...

Hereditary haemoglobin disorders (E-beta Thalassaemia & Thalassaemia) are inherited as recessive disorders so that the heterozygote subjects are generally healthy. They commonly present with progressive pallor, thalassaemic facies, splenohepatomegaly & growth retardation. Diagnosis of carriers & patients are usually confirmed by haemoglobin electrophoresis. Transfusion-chelation therapy is usually employed for their ...

PURPOSE OF INVESTIGATION: This report describes successful treatment, using invasive and noninvasive techniques, of a 36-year-old woman (gravida 10, para 0) referred to our center at 13 weeks' gestation for severe Rh alloimmunization. Pre-pregnancy indirect Coombs titers ranged from 1:1024-2048. All nine past pregnancies (conceived with three different partners) had ...

Fetal edema was recognized in the past as a complication of alloimmune disease. More recently, fetal edema is frequently seen in conditions that cause non-immune fetal hydrops with increased soft tissue thickness. Classically there is a halo pattern around fetal head, neck, thorax, and abdomen. Fetal edema is associated with ...

BACKGROUND: It is the purpose of this article to describe a suspected association of inadvertent vaccination with varicella vaccine during early pregnancy with the subsequent development of in utero miliary fetal tissue calcifications and fetal hydrops detected by sonogram at 15 weeks of gestation. CASE: This is a case presentation ...

The incidence of nonimmunological fetal hydrops is between 1 in 1500 and 1 in 4000. Overall mortality for this condition is about 80%. This report describes a case of prenatally diagnosed hydrops fetalis with severe generalized edema, ascites and pleural effusion of unknown origin at 19 weeks of gestation. No ...

Congenital dyserythropoietic anemias (CDAs) are a group of hereditary refractory anemias characterized by ineffective erythropoiesis, typical morphological abnormalities of erythroblasts, a low or no reticulocyte response, hyperbilirubinemia, and splenomegaly. A massive hydropic newborn born with a very severe anemia (Hb 4.8 g/dL), diffuse edema, hepatosplenomegaly, ascites, pulmonary edema and respiratory ...

We assessed the clinical outcome of pregnancies with non-Rh-D antibody in Northern Ireland using retrospective case note review. During the study period (April 1999- March 2000) 186 women with clinically significant antibodies were identified from the records of the antenatal laboratory of the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service. Eighty-five women ...

We present the case of a young primigravida who developed severe life threatening hemolytic anemia in the last trimester of three successive pregnancies with spontaneous recovery after each delivery and remained normal during the entire nongravid state. Corticosteroid and high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin therapy, although reported as useful, was ineffective in ...

BACKGROUND: Little information exists regarding sepsis following marsupialization of a Bartholin's duct abscess. We report a gravida who became septic after marsupialization. CASE: A 30-year-old primigravida at 32 weeks' gestation underwent marsupialization of a Bartholin's gland abscess. Postoperatively, she developed fever with maternal and fetal tachycardia. She was admitted to ...

A 38-year-old multiparous woman was referred at 19 weeks' gestation because of hydrops fetalis. Ultrasonic examination revealed severe pleural effusion, ascites and skin edema. Detailed examination of the amniotic fluid, fetal blood and intrathoracic fluid led to a diagnosis of congenital fetal chylothorax. Repeated thoracocenteses were not effective in improving ...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine how frequently general obstetricians refer pregnant patients to maternal-fetal medicine specialists in the presence of the clinical indications specified as appropriate for referral or consultation by the 1996 statement of the Society of Perinatal Obstetricians. STUDY DESIGN: A questionnaire was mailed ...

BACKGROUND: Whether the fetus can experience pain remains controversial. During the last half of pregnancy, the neuroanatomic connections for nociception are in place, and the human fetus mounts sizable stress responses to physical insults. Analgesia has been recommended for intrauterine procedures or late termination, but without evidence that it works. ...

OBJECTIVE: To review our management of anti-Rhesus-D antibodies in pregnancy over a 5-year period in order to assess possible changes in the management or prognosis which may have developed with time. METHOD: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from 31 pregnancies with maternal anti-D levels >4 IU/ml and in which ...

Parvovirus B19 infection during pregnancy causes up to 27% cases of non-immune hydrops in anatomically normal fetuses. The virus is believed to cause arrest of maturation of red blood cell precursors at the late normoblast stage and also causes a decrease in the number of platelets. Fetal anemia is presently ...

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that the degree of immune fetal hydrops predicts outcome in red blood cell-alloimmunized pregnancies. STUDY DESIGN: In an 11-year period, 213 fetuses received 599 intrauterine transfusions. The outcome of 208 pregnancies, including two pairs of twins, was analyzed in a retrospective ...

OBJECTIVES: To confirm the relationship between the middle cerebral artery peak systolic velocity (MCA PSV) and hemoglobin values in fetuses at risk for anemia (due to maternal blood group alloimmunization or parvovirus B19 infection) and to investigate the clinical value of this method in the management of these pregnancies regardless ...

Lead toxicity has gained increasing attention in the public media because of its ubiquitous distribution in the environment and the potentially serious medical complications that it can induce, particularly in children. We present a case of an asymptomatic Hispanic woman who exhibited a unique form of pica during her pregnancy. ...

BACKGROUND: Splenic rupture in the newborn is a rare complication in erythroblastosis fetalis. There are no reports of splenic rupture in the fetus affected by hemolytic disease of the newborn. CASE: A 41-year-old gravida 3, para 2-0-0-2 with severe rhesus alloimmunization was managed with serial intrauterine transfusions resulting in fetal ...

Twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) may complicate multiple pregnancy. Monochorionic discordant twins with oligohydramnios and polyhydramnios may be diagnostic. Hydrops fetalis is particularly ominous. All the signs can appear independently at any stage of gestation. However, TTTS with hydrops fetalis in early pregnancy is rare. We report here a case of ...

OBJECTIVE: Our aim was to review our experience with renal biopsy in pregnancy. STUDY DESIGN: We reviewed 18 renal biopsies performed during pregnancy or in the immediate postpartum period at the University of North Carolina. Indications, histopathologic findings, complications, and neonatal outcome were reviewed for each case. RESULTS: Fifteen patients ...

To assess the role of fetal blood sampling and intrauterine transfusion in monochorionic (MC) multiple pregnancy complicated by single intrauterine death (IUD), we reviewed ten cases over a 4-year period in a tertiary referral centre which underwent fetal blood sampling within 24 h of death of its MC co-twin. Intrauterine ...

OBJECTIVE: To study the extent of fetomaternal transfusion and the outcome of pregnancy after cordocentesis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 268 women underwent percutaneous fetal umbilical cord blood sampling for fetal karyotyping between 15 and 26 gestations of weeks. Complete follow-up was available in 221 (82.5%) of the cases. Cordocentesis was performed ...

Exploring prognostic factors that determine outcomes in fetomaternal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FMAIT), a search of Medline was performed covering the years 1966 to April 1998. 376 articles were collected and reviewed; 140 articles contained the case histories of 297 mothers and 433 pregnancies that fulfilled entry criteria. More than 30 data ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In addition to anti-D alloantibody, other antibodies such as anti-K antibody and anti-PP1Pk antibody have been reported to cause severe haemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN). HDN caused by anti-K results not only from destruction of red cells but also from suppression of erythropoiesis. Anti-PP1Pk has been ...

Hemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN) occurs due to maternal IgG antibodies crossing the placenta thereby producing hemolysis mainly due to Rh, ABO and Kell groups. A systematic approach to the Rh HDN involves an obstetric history of previous isoimmunized baby, timing and regular monitoring of maternal Rh antibodies and ...

A case of anti-Js(b) in pregnancy was associated with unexpectedly severe haemolytic disease of the newborn, requiring urgent exchange transfusion. Clinical signs of fetal distress were evident at 35 weeks of gestation in a sixth pregnancy. A Js(b+) baby from a previous pregnancy had been unaffected. This case report illustrates ...