Successful outcome of idiopathic nonimmune hydrops fetalis treated by maternal digoxin.

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.

Evaluation of combinations of procedures in cesarean section.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a procedure for cesarean section, consisting of a number of surgical techniques adopted from various sources and further developed. METHODS: The principal elements of the cesarean section procedure followed were: the Joel-Cohen method for opening the abdomen, suturing the uterus in one layer, and non-closure of the visceral and parietal peritoneal layers. The postoperative recovery of women who underwent this procedure (JCl--group) was compared with that of women who had undergone a Pfannenstiel incision, in which the uterus is sutured in two layers, and both peritoneal layers sutured (Pf2++ group). RESULTS: The incidence of postoperative febrile morbidity was 7.7% in the JCl--group compared with 19.8% in the Pf2++ group (P < 0.05). Adhesions were found in 6.3% of repeat operations after the JCl--operation compared with 28.8% after the Pf2++ operation (P < 0.05), and there was a non-significant trend toward fewer postoperative analgesics in the JCl--group. CONCLUSION: The cesarean section procedure we have devised is not only safe, but has a lower risk of long- and short-term complications.

Conservative treatment with successful outcome of a triplet pregnancy after the miscarriage of one fetus in the second trimester.

Due to the increased availability of infertility treatment, multiple pregnancies, with various resulting complications have become more common. A woman in the 19th week of a triplet pregnancy came to the hospital after the miscarriage of one of the fetuses at home. In keeping with our philosophy of minimal intervention in childbirth, we treated the woman conservatively. After confirming that the remaining two fetuses were in good condition, the woman was released home under ambulatory observation, with no antibiotics or tocolytic drugs. No further complications developed, and the woman gave birth in her 31st week to healthy twin girls 82 days later. The successful outcome of this case demonstrates that non-interventional, conservative methods could be a feasible alternative to invasive intervention. We hope that our case will encourage more physicians to try out and report noninterventional methods, so that enough information could be gathered to help make correct management decisions in the future.