Contents:
- Medical Video: Oligohydramnios ( Oligo) - Pregnant Women Should Know | Ango
- What is Potter syndrome?
- What happens when a baby experiences Potter's syndrome
- Potter's diagnosis
- Treatment options that can be made regarding this condition
Medical Video: Oligohydramnios ( Oligo) - Pregnant Women Should Know | Ango
Amniotic fluid plays an important role for the growth and development of the baby during the womb. If the amniotic fluid is disrupted, this will have a direct impact on your baby's overall health. Amniotic fluid that is less able to cause Potter syndrome in infants.
What is Potter syndrome?
Potter syndrome is a rare condition that refers to physical abnormalities due to too little amniotic fluid (oligohydramnios) and congenital kidney failure that develops when the baby grows in the womb.
Amniotic fluid itself is one of the supporters of the growth and development of the baby during the womb. Amniotic fluid appears 12 days after fertilization occurs. Then, at around 20 weeks' gestation, the amount of amniotic fluid will depend on how much urine (urine) is produced by the baby while in the womb. In normal development, the baby will swallow amniotic fluid which is then processed by the kidneys and released in the form of urine.
However, when the fetus and urinary tract cannot function properly, this will cause problems that make babies produce less urine. As a result, the amount of amniotic fluid produced tends to decrease.
Decreased amniotic fluid makes the baby not have pads in the uterus. This makes the baby experience pressure on the uterine wall, causing a distinctive facial image and unusual body shape. Well, this condition is called Potter syndrome.
What happens when a baby experiences Potter's syndrome
Babies who experience this syndrome have characteristics of a more downward ear than a normal baby, a small chin that is pulled back, a fold of skin that covers the corner of the eye (epicanthal fold), and a broad base of the nose.
This condition can also cause other limbs to be abnormal. In addition, lack of amniotic fluid during pregnancy can also inhibit the development of the baby's lungs, so that the baby's lungs cannot function properly (pulmonary hypoplasia). This disorder can also cause babies to experience congenital heart defects.
Potter's diagnosis
Potter syndrome usually begins to be diagnosed during pregnancy through ultrasound tests (USG). Although in some cases, this condition is only known after the baby is born.
Signs that can be identified when an ultrasound test includes kidney abnormalities, levels of amniotic fluid in the uterus, lung abnormalities, and the characteristics of Potter syndrome on the baby's face. Whereas in the case of potter syndrome which is only known after the baby is born, the symptoms include a small amount of urine production or the presence of a respiratory disorder that causes the baby to have difficulty breathing (respiratory distress).
If the doctor diagnoses the signs and symptoms of Potter syndrome, the doctor will usually take further tests. This is done to determine the cause or find out about the severity. Some of the follow-up tests that doctors will do usually include genetic tests, urine tests, X-rays, CT scans, and blood tests.
Treatment options that can be made regarding this condition
The choice of treatment for Potter syndrome actually depends on the cause of the condition. Some treatment options that doctors usually recommend for babies born with Potter syndrome include:
- Babies with Potter syndrome may need a breathing apparatus. This may include resuscitation when the baby is born and ventilation to help the baby breathe normally.
- Some babies may also need food canisters to ensure they get adequate nutritional intake.
- Urinary tract surgery to deal with obstruction of the urinary tract.
- If there are problems with the baby's kidneys, dialysis or dialysis may be recommended until other treatments are available, such as kidney transplants.
