Intrauterine closure of the ductus arteriosus: implications for the neonatologist

Intrauterine closure of the fetal ductus arteriosus is a rare but serious condition. It can lead to congestive heart failure, fetal hydrops, and fetal death. No intrauterine intervention is currently available to treat this condition. Postnatally, it can present as pulmonary hypertension and can be associated with high mortality and morbidity. Postnatal therapies aimed at pulmonary hypertension or with medications that maintain the patency of the ductus arteriosus are variably successful. We present the neonatal course of a full-term neonate with severe pulmonary hypertension and intrauterine closure of the ductus arteriosus who survived to early infancy.