ASSOCIATION BETWEEN POLYHYDRAMNIOS AND FETAL CONGENITAL ANOMALIES IN PREGNANT WOMEN PRESENTING TO TERTIARY CARE HOSPITALS IN PESHAWAR, KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA

BACKGROUND: Polyhydramnios is the excess of amniotic fluid in the uterine cavity. It is defined as Abnormal Fluid Index (AFI) which is more than 25 centimeters or a pocket of amniotic fluid more than or equal to 8 centimeters on ultrasonography. Polyhydramnios may be transient or persistent. It is responsible for 1-3% of complicated pregnancies. In about 50–60% of cases polyhydramnios is idiopathic. Polyhydramnios may be secondarily attributed to fetal, maternal or placental abnormalities. OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of common fetal anomalies among women with polyhydramnios presenting to a tertiary care hospital of Peshawar. METHODOLOGY: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hayatabad Medical Complex and Northwest General Hospital, Peshawar from January 2024 to June 2024. A total of 139 patients with polyhydramnios were included in the study by non-probability consecutive sampling technique. All women were subjected to detail ultrasonography for diagnosis of polyhydramnios. All were followed through ultrasonography till delivery of the baby to determine the common fetal anomalies like gastrointestinal, CNS, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal. RESULTS: In this study, the mean age of patients was 31.25 ± 7.62 years. A total of 14 (10%) fetuses were found to have congenital anomalies. Among these 14 newborns with anomalies, 28.6% had central nervous system anomalies, 21% had gastrointestinal tract anomalies, 21% had musculoskeletal anomalies, 14% had cardiovascular anomalies, and 14% had mixed anomalies involving multiple systems. CONCLUSION: Polyhydramnios is associated with congenital fetal anomalies of nervous, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems. KEYWORDS: Polyhydramnios, congenital anomalies, central nervous system, musculoskeletal systems