By the term "hyperechoic intestine" is meant too bright image of the intestine of the fetus on the monitor of the ultrasound apparatus. It should be noted that the echogenicity of the intestine is greater than the echogenicity of other internal organs located next to it. In the event that the brightness of the intestine approaches the brightness of the image of bones, they speak of hyperechoinality.
Hyperechogenous intestine in the fetus is detected in 0.5% of cases in the 2nd trimester of pregnancy. This kind of intestine can be a variant of the norm, or it can be observed if the fetus swallows the blood, which is not digested and remains in the gut lumen. At later stages of pregnancy, the hyperechoic gut indicates the development of meconium peritonitis or meconium ileus, or is a symptom of infection with chickenpox.
Causes of the hyperechoic gut in the fetus
If during the ultrasound examination the fetus reveals a hyperechoic intestine, then the expectant mother should not panic, because it is likely that this state of the fetus may change after a while. But do not forget that hyperechoicness can indicate:
- hereditary chromosomal diseases (eg, Down syndrome);
- retardation of intrauterine development;
- intrauterine infection of the fetus.
It should be remembered that the establishment of hyperechoogenicity does not directly indicate the presence of Down syndrome, but is evidence of an increased risk of developing this syndrome. In this case, it is worth turning to a geneticist to check the results of the biochemical test once more. It is also necessary to be examined for the presence of antibodies to cytomegalovirus, herpes simplex virus, toxoplasmosis, parovirus, rubella.
To exclude the delay in intrauterine development , it is necessary to check additionally:
- Whether there is a backlog of the sizes of a head and a body of a fruit from term of pregnancy;
- whether there is a lack of water;
- whether the blood flow in the vessels of the uterus and fetus, the placenta, is not lowered.
If none of the symptoms is confirmed, then the diagnosis is excluded, and it is necessary to establish another cause of hyperechogenicity.
Consequences of the hyperechoic gut in the fetus
The data obtained by different researchers indicate that the presence of a hyperechoic gut is the basis for classifying a pregnant woman as a risk group, since she may have a child with cystic fibrosis . Despite the fact that the hyperechoic intestine can talk about various pathologies of the fetus,
Treatment of the hyperechoic gut in the fetus
In cases of establishing intestinal hyperechoinality, a comprehensive pre-natal examination should be conducted for a woman, which will include the study of the karyotype, evaluation of the child's ultrasound anatomy, monitoring of his condition, and performing tests for intrauterine infection. Only after that the doctor can give the woman the necessary recommendations for treatment and further management of pregnancy.