Polyhydramnios is the presence of excessive amniotic fluid surrounding the unborn infant.
Amniotic fluid surrounds and cushions the infant throughout development. Decreased or excessive amounts of amniotic fluid may be associated with abnormalities in the fetus. Polyhydramnios may result from failure of the fetus to swallow and absorb amniotic fluid in normal amounts. This may occur as a result of gastrointestinal disorders, neurological problems, or a variety of other causes. Polyhydramnios may also be related to increased fluid production, as is the case with certain fetal lung disorders. Sometimes, no specific cause for polyhydramnios is found.
A condition which causes part of the brain not to form is called anencephaly.
polyhydrominos
In current obstetrical practice, polyhydramnios and oligohydramnios are usually detected during a routine prenatal ultrasound
As an isolated defect, anencephaly appears to be caused by a combination of genetic factors and environmental influences that predispose to faulty formation of the nervous system.
Ronald J. Lemire has written: 'Anencephaly' -- subject(s): Anencephalus, Anencephaly
The condition that causes a fetus not to develop a head is called anencephaly. It is a neural tube defect that occurs when the upper part of the neural tube fails to close during early embryonic development, resulting in the absence of significant portions of the brain and skull. Anencephaly is a serious condition, and affected infants typically do not survive long after birth.
Anencephaly is caused by a failure of the neural tube to close properly during fetal development, leading to incomplete formation of the brain and skull. This results in the baby being born without parts of the brain and skull.
Anencephaly is a neural tube defect that occurs when the upper part of the neural tube, which develops into the brain and skull, fails to close properly during early fetal development. The exact cause is not fully understood, but it is believed to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors, including nutritional deficiencies (especially folic acid), exposure to certain medications, and maternal health conditions. Anencephaly is typically detected through prenatal imaging and is considered incompatible with life outside the womb.
Anencephaly is a birth defect where a baby is born without parts of the brain and skull. The brain is the organ most affected in anencephaly because it is either missing or severely underdeveloped. This condition is fatal in most cases, as the undeveloped brain cannot support life.
Anencephaly.
n most cases, the exact cause cannot be identified. A single case of polyhydramnios may have one or more causes. Some cases are due to maternal diabetes mellitus, which causes fetal hyperglycemiaand resulting polyuria(fetal urine is a major source of amniotic fluid) and also rh-isoimmunisation can cause it. Few cases are associated with fetal anomalies that impair the ability of the fetus to swallow (the fetus normally swallows the amniotic fluid). These anomalies include:gastrointestinalabnormalities such as esophageal atresia, duodenal atresia, facial cleft, neck masses, tracheoesophageal fistula, and diaphragmatic hernias. An annular pancreas causing obstruction may also be the cause.Bochdalek's hernia, in which the pleuro-peritoneal membranes (especially the left) will fail to develop & seal the pericardio- peritoneal canals. This results in the stomach protrusion up into the thoracic cavity, and the fetus is unable to swallow sufficient amounts of amniotic fluid.fetal renaldisorders that results in increased urine production during pregnancy, such as in antenatal Bartter syndrome.[6]Molecular diagnosis is available for these conditions.[7]neurological abnormalities such as anencephaly, which impair the swallowing reflexchromosomal abnormalities such as Down's syndrome and Edwards syndrome (which is itself often associated with GI abnormalities)Skeletal dysplasia, or dwarfism. There is a possibility of the chest cavity not being large enough to house all of the baby's organs causing the trachea and esophagus to be restricted, not allowing the baby to swallow the appropriate amount of amniotic fluid.It can also be caused by intrauterine infection (TORCH)In a multiple gestation pregnancy, the cause of polyhydramnios usually is twin-twin transfusion syndrome.Other maternal causes include cardiac or kidneyproblems. Additionally, chorioangioma of the placenta can also cause this condition.A recent study distinguishes between mild and severe polyhydramnios and showed that Apgar score of less than 7, perinatal death and structural malformations only occurred in women with severe polyhydramnios.[8]In another study, all patients with polyhydramnios, that had a sonographically normal fetus, showed no chromosomal anomalies
Anencephaly is a birth defect where the brain, skull and scalp do not develop fully or properly. It is a fatal defect. Anecephaly is the absence of a major part of the brain, skull or scalp during the embryonic development.