Prune belly syndrome

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Prune belly syndrome

Prune belly syndrome is a group ofbirth abnormalities marked bythree major findings:

• Lack ofdevelopment of abdominal muscles, causing the skin of the abdomen to wrinkle like a prune
• Undescended testicle
• Urinary tract problems

The underlying causes of prune belly syndrome are unknown. Boys make up 96 - 97% of cases. Expectant mothers carrying affected infants may develop varying degrees of oligohydramnios (not enough amniotic fluid) that make the infant likely to have lung problems. (See also Potter syndrome.)

The newborn infant has a wrinkled abdomen that looks like a prune. This is because the abdomen swelled with fluid in the womb, then lost that fluid after birth, leading to puckering of excess skin. The appearance is more noticeable because the lack of enough abdominal muscles. Many infants are either stillborn or die within the first few weeks of life from severe lung or kidney problems, or a combination of birth problems.

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