Potter syndrome

What is Potter syndrome?

The prinicpal problem in Potter syndrome is kidney failure. The kidneys fail to develop properly as the fetus is developing. The kidneys normally produce the amniotic fluid (as urine). The lack of amniotic fluid (oligohydramnios) can lead to typical physical features that are associated with Potter syndrome. Oligohydramnios occurs if the volume of amniotic fluid is less than normal for the corresponding period of gestation. This may be due to decreased urine production due to bilateral renal agenesis, obstruction of the urinary tract, or occasionally, prolonged rupture of the amniotic membranes. Fetal urine is also critical to the proper development of the lungs by helping to expand the airways and supplying Proline, a critical amino acid to the lungs. Potter syndrome or Potter Sequence is a sequence of events that can be linked to various causes of renal failure.

Please see the following sites for more information on Potter syndrome:

eMedicine Medscape

Potter's Syndrome FAQ's Potter's Syndrome Org

Medline Plus U.S. National Library of Medicine

PubMed Health National Center for Biotechnology Information

Mothers tell their stories...

I told her how sorry I was and that I loved her and did not want her to suffer. I would rather suffer every day for the rest of my life than to allow her to suffer one moment in life.

~Mom of an Angel

Everything was going great. As already having two "normal" pregnancies under my belt, I felt confident. I knew there was always that chance of hearing bad news but I said "no, not me, not our baby."

~A Heartbroken Mother

We felt that if our daughter had been in a car accident and was on life support with the same internal injuries, we would not keep her on life support and let her suffer. This child deserved the same dignity."

~ A grieving mom

I initially thought I would "be brave" and continue my pregnancy. But I came to realize that ultimately it wasn't about how strong I could be, how deeply I wanted this baby or what important lessons he could teach me. It was about what he would experience in his short life. Given his diagnosis, he would have known only suffering. As his mother, I couldn't allow that to happen.

~ A mother at peace

It was our ignorance for believing that all pregnancies led to a healthy baby. It was my arrogance for believing that since I had the best medical care, took prenatal vitamins even before and during my pregnancy, never took drugs, never smoked cigarettes and drank about half a glass of wine a year, that our baby would be safe.

~A bereaved mother

A mother will stop at nothing, including her own hurt, both mentally and physically, to protect her child.

~Brokenhearted Mother