Mirror syndrome is a condition when a pregnant woman and her unborn baby experience swelling due to fluid buildup. Mirror syndrome is usually characterized by bysymptoms of preeclampsia in pregnant women.
Mirror syndrome is a rare complication of pregnancy. The initial appearance of this disease is usually at 16-34 weeks of gestation. In medical terms, this disease is also known as Ballantyne syndrome or triple edema.
Symptoms of Mirror Syndrome
Symptoms and signs of mirror syndrome in pregnant women are similar to preeclampsia, namely:
- Swollen limbs
- Weight gain quickly in a short time
- High blood pressure during pregnancy
- There is protein in the urine
While in the fetus, symptoms include excessive amounts of amniotic fluid and a thickened placenta. If seen through ultrasound, the fetus also looks swollen, especially in the heart, liver, and spleen.
When to go to the doctor
Mirror syndrome and preeclampsia are fatal conditions if not treated immediately. Therefore, consult a gynecologist if the above symptoms appear during pregnancy.
Do a pregnancy checkup once a month in the first and second trimesters, then once every 1-2 weeks in the third trimester. In addition to monitoring the health of pregnant women and fetal development, routine pregnancy check-ups can detect abnormalities in the fetus early.
Causes of Mirror Syndrome
It is not known what causes mirror syndrome, but this condition is thought to be related to hydrops fetalis, which is a buildup of fluid in the fetal organs, especially in the lungs, heart, and abdomen of the fetus.
Although the cause is unknown, mirror syndrome is known to be more common in pregnant women with the following conditions:
- Have a different rhesus blood with the fetus
- Suffer twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) in twin pregnancies
- Having a viral infection during pregnancy
- There is a tumor in the fetus or placenta.
Mirror Syndrome Diagnosis
As described above, the symptoms of mirror syndrome are similar to those of preeclampsia. Therefore, the examination method for mirror syndrome is the same as the method used to determine preeclampsia. Examination is also done to check whether there is a buildup of fluid in the fetus or hydrops fetalis.
Some of the inspection methods carried out are:
- Blood pressure check
- Measurement of protein levels in the urine of pregnant women
- Pregnancy ultrasound to see fluid buildup in the fetus
- Examination of amniotic fluid samples or amniocentesis
Mirror Syndrome Treatment
How to overcome mirror syndrome is to remove the fetus immediately. If the age of the fetus is immature, the mother will go through premature labor. Premature delivery can be done by giving drugs that stimulate labor or by caesarean section.
After the baby is born, the doctor will take action to remove excess fluid from the baby's body. Your doctor will also give you medicines to prevent heart failure and help your kidneys get rid of excess body fluids.
Furthermore, this premature baby will be treated intensively in a hospital neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
Mirror Syndrome Complications
Although mirror syndrome is rare, this condition can be dangerous for pregnant women and fetuses. In some cases, mirror syndrome can trigger anemia and heart failure in pregnant women. While in the fetus, mirror syndrome can cause miscarriage or death in the womb.
Mirror Syndrome Prevention
Mirror syndrome is difficult to prevent. The best prevention is to do regular pregnancy check-ups to the obstetrician. Pregnancy examination aims to monitor the condition of the mother and fetus, as well as detect early if there are abnormalities, both in the mother and fetus.
