Etiology and Prognosis of Hydrops Fetalis: A 10-Year Experience at A Tertiary Care Hospital in Saudi Arabia

Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess the magnitude and neonatal outcome of hydrops fetalis in a tertiary care Hospital in Saudi Arabia. Subjects and Methods: Retrospective review of database, chart, death summary, laboratory results and radiology imaging of 26 patients diagnosed with hydrops fetalis who were admitted in Prince Sultan Medical Military City (PSMMC), Riyadh, Saudi Arabia throughout the period January 1st, 2004-December 31st, 2013 was conducted. Results: This study included 26 cases. The mean gestational age was 32.8±3.0 weeks with mean birth weight of 2.6±0,95kg. The non-immune form of hydrops fetalis with unknown cause was high-comprising (35%) of the overall cases. Overall mortality rate was (42%) with 45% of the dead cases due to unknown causes. Factors significantly associated with mortality among hydrops fetalis cases were low Apgar score at 5 minutes (p=0.0007), need of high frequency oscillation ventilation (p=0.0002), need of ionotropes (p=0.0002), presence of pleural effusion (p=0.029), ascites (p=0.008) and skin edema (p=0.008). Conclusions: Hydrops fetalis is a rare presentation and carries a high mortality rate, hard and collaborative work is needed to establish a diagnosis and prognosis for such presention.