Anencephaly with Polyhydramnios in pregnancy of about 26 weeks.

This video shows Anencephaly with Polyhydramnios in pregnancy of about 26 weeks.
Anencephaly is the absence of a large part of the brain and the skull. This is a normal fetal ultrasound performed at 17 weeks gestation. The development of the brain and nervous system begins early in fetal development. Anencephaly is one of the most common neural tube defects. Neural tube defects are birth defects that affect the tissue that becomes the spinal cord and brain.
Anencephaly occurs early in the development of an unborn baby. It results when the upper part of the neural tube fails to close. The exact cause is not known. Possible causes of anencephaly include:
Environmental toxins
Low intake of folic acid by the mother during pregnancy
In nearly all fetuses with anencephaly, the movements are qualitatively abnormal: they are forceful, jerky in character, and are of large amplitude.
Anencephaly is a lethal diagnosis, incompatible with sustained life. It has been understood that if an anencephalic infant is live-born, death will soon be imminent. Several studies have reported anencephaly to be 100% lethal in the first year of life.
Anencephaly is a lethal congenital anomaly that can be detected on ultrasound as early as 11 weeks of gestation. If some amount of neural tissue is present, the condition is termed exencephaly. Polyhydramnios is usually associated with neural tube defects. No treatment option is available for anencephaly.
Polyhydramnios may cause extra stretching of the uterus resulting in preterm contractions.
An infant born with anencephaly has some or most of the brain missing. These infants are unconscious, cannot feel, and are usually blind and deaf. Infants with anencephaly are stillborn in about 75 percent of cases.
Anencephaly is when the neural tube fails to close at the base of the skull. Neural tube defects may be caused by genes passed on from both parents and by environmental factors. Some of these factors include obesity, uncontrolled diabetes in the mother, and some prescription medicines.
Getting enough folic acid before and during early pregnancy can help prevent neural tube defects, such as anencephaly. If you are pregnant or could get pregnant, take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day.
One disorder similar to anencephaly in some ways is microcephaly. A baby born with this condition has a smaller-than-normal head circumference. Unlike anencephaly, which is apparent at birth, microcephaly may or may not be present at birth. It can develop within the first few years of life.
Ultrasound diagnosis of Polyhydromnios:
• The vertical measurement of the deepest pocket of amniotic fluid free of fetal parts is used to classify polyhydramnios into mild (8–11 cm), moderate (12–15 cm), and severe (equal to or more than 16 cm).
• In about 80% of cases, the polyhydramnios is mild, 15% moderate, and 5% severe.
• Most cases of mild polyhydramnios are idiopathic, but most cases with moderate or severe polyhydramnios are due to maternal or fetal disorders.
• In most cases, polyhydramnios develops late in the second or in the third trimester of pregnancy. Acute polyhydramnios at 16–22 weeks is mainly seen in association with twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome.
Impact of Polyhydramnios on pregnancy
Most women with polyhydramnios will deliver healthy babies with no problems. If polyhydramnios is severe, it may make your uterus contract. You may also find it difficult to get comfortable in a chair or lying down.
With polyhydramnios, the risk of the following complications is increased:
Preterm contractions and possibly preterm labor.
Premature rupture of membranes.
Fetal malposition.
Maternal respiratory compromise.
Umbilical cord prolapse.
Uterine atony.
Abruptio placentae.
Moderate to Severe Polyhydramnios may cause the following symptoms:
Difficulty breathing.
Swelling in the lower extremities.
Swelling of the vulva.
Decreased urine production.
Constipation.
Heartburn.
Feeling huge or tightness in the belly.
Birth defects associated with Polyhydramnios
Persistent polyhydramnios has been associated with fetal aneuploidy, and polyhydramnios at birth has been associated with preterm delivery, unstable lie, malpresentation, cord prolapse, and placental abruption.
The AFI is normally 7 to 25 cm. In addition, each individual pocket of fluid should be 2 to 8 cm. Fluctuations outside of this range define oligohydramnios (too little amniotic fluid) or polyhydramnios (too much amniotic fluid).
In cases with multiple gestations, a range of 3–8 cm is defined as normal. With this method, polyhydramnios is classified as mild, moderate, or severe. Mild polyhydramnios is characterized by a value of 8–11 cm, moderate polyhydramnios by a value between 12–15 cm, and severe polyhydramnios by values above 16 cm.