In pregnancy, Parvovirus B19 infection can lead to hydrops fetalis due to which mechanism?

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Multiple Choice

In pregnancy, Parvovirus B19 infection can lead to hydrops fetalis due to which mechanism?

Explanation:
Parvovirus B19 causes hydrops fetalis by suppressing fetal erythropoiesis, leading to severe fetal anemia. The virus targets erythroid progenitor cells in the developing fetus (primarily in the liver), causing a transient red-cell aplasia. With markedly reduced red-cell production, the fetus can’t maintain adequate oxygen delivery, prompting high-output cardiac failure and fluid accumulation that manifests as hydrops. Placental insufficiency, neural tube defects, and GI malformations involve different processes and don’t explain the anemia-driven pathway seen with Parvovirus B19 infection.

Parvovirus B19 causes hydrops fetalis by suppressing fetal erythropoiesis, leading to severe fetal anemia. The virus targets erythroid progenitor cells in the developing fetus (primarily in the liver), causing a transient red-cell aplasia. With markedly reduced red-cell production, the fetus can’t maintain adequate oxygen delivery, prompting high-output cardiac failure and fluid accumulation that manifests as hydrops. Placental insufficiency, neural tube defects, and GI malformations involve different processes and don’t explain the anemia-driven pathway seen with Parvovirus B19 infection.

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