FETAL ECHOGENIC BOWEL – Mesenteric Ischemia

FETAL ECHOGENIC BOWEL – MESENTRIC ISCHEMIA

Hyperechogenic bowel is attributable to hypoperistalsis or decreased fluid content of the meconium
Association between hyperechogenic bowel and placental dysfunction is complex
Possible etiology is chronic intrauterine gut ischemia; responsible for both the hyperechogenicity and impaired neonatal gut function
• Fetal aneuploidy - Trisomy 21
• Small bowel obstruction
• Oligohydramnios.
• Hirschsprung’s disease
• Bowel atresia
• IUGR
• Intra-amniotic hemorrhage
• Cystic fibrosis
• Cytomegalovirus, Toxoplasmosis, Parvovirus
Echogenic bowel with IUGR with elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein has poor fetal prognosis.
Intrauterine growth retardation is found in 15% of fetuses with hyperechogenic bowel; contributing to 10% of cases of perinatal death
Possible causation
• Between hyperechogenic bowel, uteroplacental insufficiency, prematurity and functional neonatal intestinal obstruction.
• Between hyperechogenic bowel, absent umbilical artery end diastolic flow velocities, and neonatal intestinal obstruction due to meconium
• Perinatal death is linked to hyperechogenic bowel
Adverse fetal outcome is more common when more echogenic is the bowel and is highest when the density is comparable with bone.
Fetal Medicine help save lives. For further quires please contact

Dr Ashutosh Foetal & Genetic Clinic; E 874, Chittaranjan Park, New Delhi 110019
Mail – [email protected]; Contact – 9953728760