ABSTRACT
Hydrops fetalis is a condition in which there is an excess of total body fluid, primarily within the fetal interstitial spaces. Etymologically, hydrops fetalis is a Latin term meaning "edema of the fetus." In addition to generalized edema, the fetus has at least one of the following: ascites, pericardial effusion, pleural effusion(s), and an abnormally thick (>6 cm) placenta. Hydrops is classified as nonimmune hydrops fetalis (NIHF) when it occurs without evidence of isoimmunization.
Subject(s)
Hydrops Fetalis/etiology , Hydrops Fetalis/mortality , Cardiovascular Diseases/complications , Communicable Diseases/complications , Communicable Diseases/congenital , Congenital Abnormalities , Evidence-Based Medicine , Female , Heart Defects, Congenital/complications , Hematologic Diseases/complications , Humans , Infant, Newborn , PregnancyABSTRACT
Nonimmune hydrops fetalis (NIHF) is a condition in which excess fluid has accumulated in the fetal interstitial spaces as a result of one or more nonimmune factors. A plethora of maternal, placental, and fetal disease processes have been associated with NIHF. Knowledge of the various etiologies of NIHF and how the disease process affects fluid homeostasis is important for planning patient care and counseling families of patients diagnosed with nonimmune hydrops fetalis. This article discusses the mechanisms governing fluid distribution in the extracellular spaces, examines the various etiologies associated with NIHF, and describes the pathogenesis of NIHF for each etiologic category.
Subject(s)
Extracellular Fluid/metabolism , Hydrops Fetalis , Pregnancy Complications , Water-Electrolyte Balance , Capillaries/pathology , Female , Fetus/blood supply , Fetus/metabolism , Fetus/pathology , Humans , Hydrops Fetalis/diagnosis , Hydrops Fetalis/etiology , Hydrops Fetalis/metabolism , Hydrops Fetalis/mortality , Hydrops Fetalis/physiopathology , Hydrops Fetalis/therapy , Infant, Newborn , Intensive Care, Neonatal , Lymphatic Vessels/pathology , Patient Care Planning , Pregnancy , Prenatal DiagnosisABSTRACT
Marble/ball models are often used to represent newborn stomach capacity; however, their accuracy has not been determined. The objective of this review was to analyze data on newborn stomach capacity and determine whether marble/ball models serve as accurate representations. A literature search yielded limited data, most emanating from the early 1900s. Data suggest that anatomic capacity of the newborn stomach varies with the birth weight of the infant. Physiologic capacity bears no relation to anatomic capacity of the newborn stomach but is a measure of the ability of the mother to produce milk and the newborn to ingest milk. Given the wide range of feeding volumes on days 1 and 3 and the reported 8-fold increase in average feeding volume during the same time period, it is best to acknowledge that feeding volumes like anatomic stomach capacity vary widely and do not lend well to visual representation by marble/ball models.
