Fetal Complications

pucturing abdominal wall

Dealing with Fetal Complications

Mom and baby may have medical conditions that will require closer monitoring. This can mean more office visits for expectant moms in order for Dr. Gray to closely monitor their vital signs and assess their symptoms.

Monitoring babies may include regular ultrasounds or checking the baby’s heart rate with a fetal monitoring test that records the baby’s heart beating.

Bladder Outlet Obstruction

A condition that affects approximately one out of every 5,000 to 25,000 newborns. It occurs when the tube that carries urine from the bladder out of the body, the urethra, is too narrow or is obstructed.  This obstruction causes urine to back up in the bladder, placing the unborn baby at risk for:

  • Kidney impairment: The kidneys may not properly function or may stop working altogether. If left untreated in utero, some babies experience kidney failure after delivery. Urinary leakage, kidney and bladder infections and abnormal kidney function can also occur after delivery.
  • Underdeveloped lungs: Urine from an unborn baby contributes to amniotic fluid, which an unborn baby “breathes” into the lungs. When an obstruction prevents urination, amniotic fluid levels can get dangerously low and hinder lung development and cause breathing difficulty after delivery.

Bladder Shunting

The treatment for Bladder Outlet Obstruction. An expert at Bladder Shunting surgery, Dr. Gray drains the baby’s bladder while the baby is still continuing to grow inside the uterus. Dr. Gray is one of a select few surgeons in Arizona who has the specialized skill set to perform this intricate procedure.

Fetal Thoracoamniotic Shunt

The treatment for Fetal Pleural Effusion, a condition in which fluid in the baby’s lungs keeps them from functioning or working normally.  The build-up of liquid in the chest of an unborn baby can cause pressure on the baby’s lungs and heart which may keep them from growing appropriately.  Draining the fluid while the baby is still in the womb, allows the lungs to expand and gives the baby additional time to grow in the uterus.

Fetal Blood Transfusions

A fetal blood transfusion is a procedure used to treat fetal anemia, a condition that occurs when the baby’s blood count is too low. A fetal blood transfusion replaces the red blood cells that may have been destroyed by an infection or Rh incompatibility. Babies that require and receive intrauterine blood transfusions are able to be delivered at later gestational stages improving the baby’s overall physical and mental well-being.