Prenatal surgery is making inroads in Japan with the approval of two advanced procedures that are being used at the National Cardiovascular Center in Suita, Osaka Prefecture.
One of the medical procedures, approved by the government last year, is to insert a catheter to help a fetus with a blocked urinary tract.
In the first weeks of pregnancy, amniotic fluid consists mainly of water from the mother. After about 12 weeks, fetal urine makes up most of the fluid.
By breathing in the fluid, the baby develops lungs. If the urinary tract is blocked there will not be enough urine and the lungs will not develop normally. The baby may also suffer renal failure.