Hydrocolpos is the distension of the

vagina In mammals, the vagina is the elastic, muscular part of the female genital tract. In humans, it extends from the vestibule to the cervix. The outer vaginal opening is normally partly covered by a thin layer of mucosal tissue called the hymen ...

caused by accumulation of fluid due to congenital vaginal obstruction. The obstruction is often caused by an imperforate hymen or less commonly a transverse vaginal septum. The fluid consists of

cervical In anatomy, cervical is an adjective that has two meanings: # of or pertaining to any neck. # of or pertaining to the female cervix: i.e., the ''neck'' of the uterus. *Commonly used medical phrases involving the neck are **cervical collar **cervic ...

and

endometrial The endometrium is the inner epithelial layer, along with its mucous membrane, of the mammalian uterus. It has a basal layer and a functional layer: the basal layer contains stem cells which regenerate the functional layer. The functional layer ...

mucus Mucus ( ) is a slippery aqueous secretion produced by, and covering, mucous membranes. It is typically produced from cells found in mucous glands, although it may also originate from mixed glands, which contain both serous and mucous cells. It is ...

or in rare instances

urine Urine is a liquid by-product of metabolism in humans and in many other animals. Urine flows from the kidneys through the ureters to the urinary bladder. Urination results in urine being excretion, excreted from the body through the urethra. Cel ...

accumulated through a vesicovaginal fistula proximal to the obstruction. In some cases, it is associated with Bardet-Biedl Syndrome. If it occurs in prepubertal girls, it may show up as abdominal swelling. It may be detected by using ultrasound. Prenatal diagnosis and early newborn imaging studies leads to early detection and treatment of these cases. It may also present at birth as a distended lower abdomen and vagina. It also associated with vaginal atresia. A high index of suspicion for hydrocolpos in a newborn presenting with fetal diagnosis of infraumbilical abdominal mass will facilitate timely intervention and prevention of complications.

References

Pediatrics Women's health {{Women's health stub