When could I get pregnant again after a hydrops fetalis?

I am very sorry for you loss. There are two reasons reasons for hydrops and your next pregnancy depends on the cause of this demise.

Immune hydrops is caused by RH factor in your blood. If you have a negative blood type it is imperative that you get a BriGHAM injection to prevent this from happening again.

Nonimmune hydrops is caused by certain genetic disorders.

Depending on the gestational age when you lost your baby, it's most likely best to wait a year before trying again so that you give your body time to recover.

Again, I am so sorry for your loss.

I'm sorry but J_9 Non immune hydrops is not always caused by genetic disorders, having lost my daughter to non immune hydrops I feel that I should point this out. There were no underlying genetic disorders for my daughters death.

No, I'm sorry, you are correct. However, I never did say that it was "always" caused by genetic disorders. Genetic disorders are just more common.

"Nonimmune hydrops is caused by certain genetic disorders"

True, it just seemed a little misleading.
Sophiaslittle, I'm sorry for your loss. Have you had any test results back yet as to what caused the hydrops in your little one? I was 32+5weeks pregnant when I had my daughter and my consultant told me we could try again after 3-6months.

I'm sorry it was misleading, I was at work and was typing rather quickly. Not an excuse I know, and I take ownership of that error.

Sophiaslittle AND M_9, I am so very sorry for the loss you both have experienced.




A long list of etiologies has been found to be associated with non-immune hydrops. This includes fetal, maternal and placental/cord abnormalities. In previous reports, there were a large number of cases labeled as idiopathic. More recently, investigators have shown that with thorough investigations, an underlying cause can be identified in up to 84% of such fetuses. When hydrops fetalis is followed by intrauterine fetal death, the success rate for identifying an etiology for the hydrops drops to 40% (5).

Fetal causes include cardiac defects either structural defects such as (but not limited to) hypoplastic left or right heart, artiroventricular septal defects, aortic stenosis or atresia, pulmonary stenosis or atresia, tetralogy of Fallot, premature closure of the ductus, or arrhythmias such as supraventricular tachycardia, atrial flutter, or heart block. Chromosomal abnormalities, skeletal dysplasia, feto-maternal hemorrhage and hematologic abnormalities are also important causes. Some structural fetal defects are associated with hydrops such as diaphragmatic hernia, intestinal or esophageal atresias, polycystic kidneys, bronchopulmonary sequestration, and congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation. Some fetal tumors can be associated with or can lead to hydrops, examples are neuroblastoma and sacrococcygeal teratoma. There are a number of genetic syndromes presenting with fetal hydrops including multiple pterygium, Noonan syndrome, Cornelia de Lange, tuberous sclerosis, myotonic dystrophy and Neu-Laxova syndrome.

Maternal disease include severe maternal anemia, diabetes and maternal indomethacin use. Placental/cord pathology include: chorioangioma, angiomyxoma of the cord, and chorionic vein thrombosis.

Metabolic disorders have been traditionally included in this long list, but as these diseases are very rare, routine testing has not been part of the work-up list for non-immune hydrops.

Found here... Non-immune fetal hydrops: Are we doing the appropriate tests each time? (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3309343/)

"Nonimmune hydrops is caused by certain genetic disorders"

True, it just seemed a little misleading.
Sophiaslittle, i'm sorry for your loss. Have you had any test results back yet as to what caused the hydrops in your little one? I was 32+5weeks pregnant when i had my daughter and my consultant told me we could try again after 3-6months.

The doctor couldn't find out the main cause, why I had hydrops. But test results show that I suffered severe anemia which cause me to have edema all over my body and affected the baby inside my womb. I lost my little one at 7months. So do you think I could have another baby after 6months?

The best advice would be from your doctor. However, it takes your body time to recover from this. Your safest bet is to wait one year before conceiving again to be sure that your body's stores have replentished.