Background: Infantile hepatic hemangioma is a benign liver tumor with potentially fatal complications. Response of these lesions to steroid therapy has been well documented in infants. Successful antenatal treatment of a fetal hepatic hemangioma with maternal corticosteroids is reported.
Case: A 36-year-old woman, gravida 2, para 1, had an ultrasound at 17 weeks which showed a fetal hepatic hemangioma. Because of increase of the tumor and enlarged fetal heart, maternal oral corticosteroid therapy was commenced at 28 weeks, which progressively decreased the mass. The infant was delivered at 36 weeks with no evidence of heart failure, and at 7 months the tumor was barely seen on ultrasound.
Conclusion: When an enlarging fetal hepatic hemangioma is detected antenatally, maternal corticosteroid therapy should be considered.