Hydrops fetalis is a serious condition of the fetus or newborn. It is a condition where abnormal amounts of fluid build up in two or more body areas causing swelling. Severe swelling can interfere with how the body organs work and often results in death of the infant shortly before or after delivery.
Update Date 4/27/2015
Updated by: Kimberly G Lee, MD, MSc, IBCLC, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Division of Neonatology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.