What is Fetal Hydrops?

Again I went home to do research. It wasn't sounding very promising. :-(

• Fetal hydrops is a severe birth defect, that is, in most cases, lethal for the developing fetus. The term "hydrops" simply refers to abnormal fluid collections in at least two "spaces" in the fetus. This may mean skin edema, cystic hygroma, pericardial effusion, pleural effusions, abdominal ascites, or polyhydramnios. Hydrops can be diagnosed at any age, but most commonly presents by 14-18 weeks.
Hydrops is not a diagnosis in itself, but it is a sign of another disease process at work. Hundreds of entities have been noted to cause fetal hydops. Some of the most common etiologies are:
• Chromosomal abnormalities.
• Rh isoimmunization or incompatibility.
• Viral infections, such as parvovirus infection.
• Cardiac defects and arrhythmias.
• Fetal bleeding, and subsequent anemia.
• Blood disorders that may cause severe fetal anemia, for instance fetal alpha thalassemia.
• Rare metabolic disorders.
The prognosis for hydrops is very poor. The rate of fetal demise is very high, and neonatal survival in the NICU is the exception. The prognosis is directly related to the underlying etiology. Some etiologies such as cardiac arrhythmias or treatable forms of anemia (such as fetal parvovirus B19 infection) can have fetal survival. This requires proper diagnosis, and in utero therapy.