{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]],"date-time":"2026-04-22T14:01:30Z","timestamp":1776866490339,"version":"3.51.2"},"reference-count":18,"publisher":"BMJ","issue":"4","content-domain":{"domain":["bmj.com"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["BMJ Case Rep"],"accepted":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,3]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,4]]},"abstract":"<jats:p>Fetal ascites is a non-specific finding which can be associated with fetal hydrops or an isolated intra-abdominal cause. We describe a case of fetal ascites associated with an intra-abdominal mass suspected to be ovarian in nature and diagnosed in the third trimester. The mother developed maternal mirror syndrome, previously reported to be associated with fetal hydrops but not reported in cases of isolated fetal ascites. Neonatal laparoscopy revealed the left ovary was oedematous and enlarged next to an inflamed and oedematous deep ring suggesting a previously incarcerated ovarian inguinal hernia, causing reactive ascites due to vascular compromise. Both the baby and mother went on to make a full recovery. This case both highlights a rare cause of fetal ascites associated with an ovary antenatally incarcerated in an inguinal hernia and maternal mirror syndrome associated with isolated ascites due to this pathology.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1136\/bcr-2025-271555","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]],"date-time":"2026-04-22T13:20:17Z","timestamp":1776864017000},"page":"e271555","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/crossmarkpolicy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Fetal ascites caused by ovarian incarceration within an inguinal hernia and development of maternal mirror syndrome"],"prefix":"10.1136","volume":"19","author":[{"given":"Anna K","family":"Richmond","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Obstetrics, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Jonathan","family":"Delf","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Radiology, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Anna","family":"Harris","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Evelina Children\u2019s Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas\u2019 NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Ian","family":"Scudamore","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Obstetrics, University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, Leicester, UK"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"239","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026042206200676000_19.4.e271555.1","unstructured":"NHS fetal anomaly screening programme (FASP): programme overview. n.d. Available: https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/guidance\/fetal-anomaly-screening-programme-overview"},{"key":"2026042206200676000_19.4.e271555.2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"20","DOI":"10.1002\/uog.16002","article-title":"Outcome of fetal ovarian cysts diagnosed on prenatal ultrasound examination: systematic review and meta-analysis","volume":"50","author":"Bascietto","year":"2017","journal-title":"Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol"},{"key":"2026042206200676000_19.4.e271555.3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"119","DOI":"10.5152\/jtgga.2013.58855","article-title":"Prenatal diagnosis of fetal ovarian cyst: case report and review of the literature","volume":"14","author":"Erol","year":"2013","journal-title":"J Turk Ger Gynecol Assoc"},{"key":"2026042206200676000_19.4.e271555.4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"110","DOI":"10.1111\/tog.12862","article-title":"Non\u2010immune hydrops fetalis: a practical guide for obstetricians","volume":"25","author":"Khairudin","year":"2023","journal-title":"The Obstetric & Gynaecologis"},{"key":"2026042206200676000_19.4.e271555.5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"25","DOI":"10.1053\/jpsu.2002.29421","article-title":"The management of fetal ovarian cysts","volume":"37","author":"Bagolan","year":"2002","journal-title":"J Pediatr Surg"},{"key":"2026042206200676000_19.4.e271555.6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"190","DOI":"10.1177\/1753495X211058043","article-title":"Clinical presentation and maternal-fetal outcomes of Mirror Syndrome: A case series of 10 affected pregnancies","volume":"15","author":"Mogharbel","year":"2022","journal-title":"Obstet Med"},{"key":"2026042206200676000_19.4.e271555.7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"979","DOI":"10.1002\/pd.6589","article-title":"Maternal \u201cmirror\u201d syndrome: Evaluating the benefits of fetal therapy","volume":"44","author":"Sichitiu","year":"2024","journal-title":"Prenat Diagn"},{"key":"2026042206200676000_19.4.e271555.8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"941","DOI":"10.1002\/pd.1970141008","article-title":"The causes and natural history of fetal ascites","volume":"14","author":"Zelop","year":"1994","journal-title":"Prenat Diagn"},{"key":"2026042206200676000_19.4.e271555.9","article-title":"Fetal Urinary Ascites From Bladder Rupture: A Rare Complication of Posterior Urethral Valve","volume":"16","author":"Deshmukh","year":"2024","journal-title":"Cureus"},{"key":"2026042206200676000_19.4.e271555.10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"200","DOI":"10.1159\/000264236","article-title":"Transient Ascites Associated with a Fetal Ovarian Cyst","volume":"10","author":"Degani","year":"1995","journal-title":"Fetal Diagn Ther"},{"key":"2026042206200676000_19.4.e271555.11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/j.crwh.2020.e00232","article-title":"Ovarian torsion in utero diagnosed at 37 weeks of pregnancy: A case report","volume":"27","author":"Saeed","year":"2020","journal-title":"Case Rep Womens Health"},{"key":"2026042206200676000_19.4.e271555.12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1259\/bjr.20170052","article-title":"CT features in surgically proven cases of ovarian torsion-a pictorial review","volume":"90","author":"Dhanda","year":"2017","journal-title":"Br J Radiol"},{"key":"2026042206200676000_19.4.e271555.13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2557","DOI":"10.1016\/j.radcr.2020.09.049","article-title":"Infantile presentation of the canal of Nuck hernia containing uterus and ovary: a case report","volume":"15","author":"Hamidi","year":"2020","journal-title":"Radiol Case Rep"},{"key":"2026042206200676000_19.4.e271555.14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1475","DOI":"10.1016\/j.radcr.2022.02.025","article-title":"Canal of Nuck incarcerated ovarian hernia with strangulation, a case report","volume":"17","author":"Sadiqi","year":"2022","journal-title":"Radiol Case Rep"},{"key":"2026042206200676000_19.4.e271555.15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"277","DOI":"10.1177\/8756479320908228","article-title":"Prenatal Diagnosis of a Cyst of the Canal of Nuck Associated With an Ovarian Cyst and Acute Polyhydramnios","volume":"36","author":"Allen","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Diagn Med Sonogr"},{"key":"2026042206200676000_19.4.e271555.16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"101067","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ajogmf.2023.101067","article-title":"Mirror syndrome: a systematic literature review","volume":"5","author":"Biswas","year":"2023","journal-title":"American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology MFM"},{"key":"2026042206200676000_19.4.e271555.17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1016\/j.crwh.2019.e00122","article-title":"The diagnostic conundrum of maternal mirror syndrome progressing to pre-eclampsia - A case report","volume":"23","author":"Mathias","year":"2019","journal-title":"Case Rep Womens Health"},{"key":"2026042206200676000_19.4.e271555.18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"768","DOI":"10.1080\/14767058.2018.1500550","article-title":"Mirroring preeclampsia: the molecular basis of Ballantyne syndrome","volume":"33","author":"Hobson","year":"2020","journal-title":"The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine"}],"container-title":["BMJ Case Reports"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/syndication.highwire.org\/content\/doi\/10.1136\/bcr-2025-271555","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]],"date-time":"2026-04-22T13:20:21Z","timestamp":1776864021000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/casereports.bmj.com\/lookup\/doi\/10.1136\/bcr-2025-271555"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,4]]},"references-count":18,"journal-issue":{"issue":"4","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,22]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,4]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1136\/bcr-2025-271555"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1136\/bcr-2025-271555","relation":{},"ISSN":["1757-790X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1757-790X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,4]]}}}