Expecting a baby is one of the happiest and most exciting moments in a woman’s life, which, unfortunately, is often accompanied by problems of the physical condition of the future mother or fetal development. One of these pathologies is the hyperechoic intestine in the fetus.
Increased echogenicity indicates the accumulation of feces, this is only visible with an ultrasound examination. If such a sign is found, the doctor or he himself conducts a detailed examination of the fetus or, which is better and more natural, directs the patient to genetics. And if the fetus is diagnosed with "hyperechoic intestines", the causes will be clarified at the chromosomal level.
Disease Detection Procedures
Day after day, the time before meeting the baby is reduced, and throughout the pregnancy, the mother treats her baby carefully. Ultrasonography and other examinations are carried out as prescribed by doctors and for their own comfort, in order to identify any abnormalities in the fetus development at the earliest possible dates and take further measures to resolve the situation. Already at 6-8 weeks the intestines of the child are visible, but so far it is outside the abdominal cavity. Active development of the organ begins after the 12th week of pregnancy.
Many mothers, because of their medical ignorance, do not know what the hyperechoic intestines of the fetus are, and begin to worry very much about the development and life of the unborn child. In fact, there are many reasons for worries if the diagnosis is confirmed. But in order to put it, you need to undergo a comprehensive examination, one ultrasound is not enough. It is possible that over time this pathology will go away by itself.
What is hyperechoic intestine?
Often, such a diagnosis can be made to completely healthy children, and in order to confirm the deviation or refute it, you need to go through several procedures:
- double / triple biochemical test;
- repeated ultrasound in a month;
- screening for antibodies.
At the slightest suspicion of pathology, it is necessary to go through all the examinations that the doctor will prescribe. The hyperechoic intestine in the fetus is the most a common prenatal echographic marker of hereditary or congenital abnormalities, which is accompanied by a high degree of echogenicity comparable to bone.
According to statistics, in the second trimester of pregnancy, 0.5% of the fetuses reveal such a pathology. The reason for the appearance of the phenomenon has not been fully studied, such an intestine in some cases can be considered the norm or observed when the fetus is swallowed by blood, which is not digested in the intestinal lumen.
Diagnostic examination
First of all, you need to immediately contact a geneticist who specializes in chromosomal phenomena. He will conduct an examination, look at and evaluate the data obtained in a biochemical test, study the ultrasound diagnostics, which confirmed the diagnosis, the hyperechoic intestines in the fetus will be treated, how to tell, and will monitor the management of pregnancy.
If signs of deviation were found during ultrasound, this is not a reason to say that there is a chromosomal pathology, and this is not yet an indication for abortion. In this case, an invasive prenatal diagnosis is prescribed. Fetal cells are taken for subtle microscopic analysis. This procedure is called aspiration of the chorionic villi.
If the diagnosis of hyperechoic intestines in the fetus is confirmed, a follow-up examination will be prescribed. On ultrasound, such an intestine is very prominent, it looks like a bright spot.
All measures are taken to detect such a pathology no earlier than the onset of 16 weeks. Before this period, the intestines of even a completely healthy fetus can have high echogenicity. In cases where it is difficult to visualize the fetal organs by ultrasound due to obesity of the mother or oligohydramnios, transvaginal echography is used to detect anomalies.
Reasons for the appearance of deviations
If an increase in echogenicity is not detected with further research, then you can calm down. Such a feature of the intestine can be observed in absolutely healthy embryos and eventually disappear.
However, such a deviation can also become a vivid sign of serious genetic abnormalities or underdevelopment of the fetus, for example, it is diagnosed with Down syndrome. Therefore, doctors begin to sound the alarm at the slightest disturbance in the echogenicity of the intestine. It is necessary to create a complete clinical picture and make a clear assessment of all the anatomical features of the fetus. The following causes of the anomaly are also considered:
- intrauterine infection of the fetus;
- developmental delay.
When the reason is stunted
In this case, accompanying symptoms will be observed:
- small fetal size that does not meet the developmental period;
- water shortage;
- decrease in uterine blood flow;
- decreased placental blood flow.
In the presence of these concomitant signs, we can talk about intrauterine growth retardation. If they are not, it is excluded.
Often, an increase in echogenicity is associated with a decrease in the water component of meconium or peristalsis, because activation of a decrease in amniotic fluid enzymes occurs precisely with chromosomal abnormalities.
It is difficult to unequivocally answer during pregnancy the question of what caused this deviation. Among the additional echographic markers of trisomy 13, there are:
- tachycardia;
- holoproencephaly;
- omphalocele.
Naturally, based on these indicators, it is impossible to conclude that there is a defect, but such data already puts the patient at risk.
The consequences of bowel movements
A very rare find is actually the hyperechoic intestine in the fetus. The causes, consequences of such a pathology, as a rule, are interconnected. Although this anomaly is a serious and important marker indicating abnormalities in the development of the fetus, in most cases children are born healthy, without any disturbances in the DNA. With dynamic observation, such a pathology in most cases disappears, and after a few weeks the intestine becomes normal.
Detection of pathology in later pregnancy (after the second trimester) can be a sign of the development of meconium peritonitis or meconium ileus, as well as evidence of chickenpox infection. Identification of deviations is due to insufficient assessment. You also need to take into account that different technical devices can show significant differences in images.
When is surgery required?
In some cases, the hyperechoic intestines of the fetus are not dangerous; the consequences in other situations can be dangerous. If meconium peritonitis is detected, surgery is prescribed, but not always. Surgery is required for symptoms of acute abdomen and signs of obstruction. If there is no indication for the operation, dynamic monitoring of the newborn is prescribed. Often, such operations are accompanied by a large loss of blood, which can lead to short bowel syndrome.
Intrauterine death occurs with this pathology in 8% of cases, neonatal losses - 0.8%. The overall incidence of prenatal adverse outcomes reaches 48.4%. If a phenomenon is detected in the prenatal period, the newborn needs dynamic observation and systematic therapy.
More About Down Syndrome
This is a relatively common congenital pathology, which is caused by the presence of an additional chromosome in 21 pairs. Of all the studied anomalies associated with a violation in the chromosomes, this is the most common and studied. About half of the children with this syndrome suffer from:
- heart disease;
- ventricular septal defect ;
- Hirschsprung's disease.
During pregnancy, screening tests are performed to determine Down syndrome. An invasive diagnosis helps to suspect the risk of developing the disease in the early stages:
- Ultrasound examination;
- chordocentesis;
- amniocentesis;
- Chorionic villus biopsy.
The probability of detecting a defect in the second trimester is 60-90%. It depends on the choice of research method.
Hyperechogenic intestines in the fetus after 20 weeks
Hyperechoic intestines in the fetus at 20 weeks may be accompanied by signs of premature maturation of the placenta. The attention of doctors in this case will primarily be aimed at eliminating diseases at the chromosomal level. In this case, there will be no risks, and such changes in the intestine can occur in completely healthy children.
In any case, the patient will be referred to genetics to confirm or refute the diagnosis based on the examination and the results of the tests.
The specialist will give, based on the results of his conclusion, further recommendations for action. Since these symptoms can accompany infection, an examination is prescribed:
- urearlism;
- mycoplasma;
- streptococcus gr. IN.
If the fetus is diagnosed with hyperechoic intestines, what does this mean and what kind of examination is prescribed? A woman undergoes a comprehensive diagnosis, which includes:
- assessment of ultrasound anatomy of the fetus;
- control over his condition;
- performing infection tests.
Hyperechoic intestine in the fetus involves a comprehensive treatment. As a rule, the outcome of therapy in most cases is positive.