Polyhydramnios
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Polyhydramnios Classification and external resources |
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| ICD-10 | O40. |
|---|---|
| ICD-9 | 657 |
| DiseasesDB | 10319 |
| MedlinePlus | 003267 |
| eMedicine | radio/566 |
| MeSH | D006831 |
Polyhydramnios (polyhydramnion, hydramnios) is the medical condition of too much amniotic fluid in the amniotic sac. It is seen in 0.5 to 2% of pregnancies.[citation needed]
The opposite to polyhydramnios is oligohydramnios, a deficiency in amniotic fluid.
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[edit] Causes
A single case of polyhydramnios may have one or more causes. About 20% of cases are due to maternal diabetes, which causes hyperglycemia of the fetus, hence fetal polyuria (fetal urine is a major source of amniotic fluid). About another 20% of cases are associated with fetal anomalies that impair the ability of the fetus to swallow (the fetus normally swallows the amniotic fluid). These anomalies includes:
- gastrointestinal abnormalities such as esophageal atresia, duodenal atresia, and tracheoesophageal fistula
- chromosomal abnormalities such as Down's syndrome and Edwards Syndrome (which is itself often associated with GI abnormalities)
- neurological abnormalities such as anencephaly, which impair the swallowing reflex
In a multiple gestation pregnancy, the cause of polyhydramnios usually is twin-twin transfusion syndrome.
[edit] Associated conditions
Fetuses with polyhydramnios are at risk for a number of other problems including cord prolapse, placental abruption and perinatal death. At delivery the baby should be checked for congenital abnormalities.
[edit] Treatment
In some cases, amnioreduction has been used in response to polyhydramnios.[1]
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Piantelli G, Bedocchi L, Cavicchioni O, et al (2004). "Amnioreduction for treatment of severe polyhydramnios". Acta bio-medica : Atenei Parmensis 75 Suppl 1: 56–8. PMID 15301292.
[edit] External links
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