LYMPHODYNAMICS IN THE FETUS AND NEWBORN

C Bellini, F Boccardo, E Bonioli, C Campisi

Abstract


Body fluid is distributed among threemajor fluid spaces: plasma, interstitial fluid,and intracellular fluid. The distributionof fluid in each of these compartments isdramatically different in the fetus andnewborn compared to the adult. In addition,the amniotic fluid that surrounds the fetusmay also be considered an extension of theextracellular space of the fetus. The purposeof this review is to discuss the complexmechanism that regulates volume in the fetusand newborn as well as the regulation of fluiddistribution between the plasma and interstitialfluid, while placing special emphasison the role the lymphatic system plays inmediating and maintaining this distribution.

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