For most babies with a congenital pulmonary airway malformation, the condition is not life threatening. Sometimes, the lesions decrease in size or can no longer be seen during the pregnancy. Other times, the lungs develop normally despite the presence of these lesions.
In about 10 percent of cases, CPAM can cause serious problems for the baby and sometimes, for the mother as well. The most serious problems occur when babies develop hydrops, a prenatal form of heart failure characterized by fluid build-up in the skin, chest or abdomen. Babies who have CPAM and hydrops typically will not survive unless they can respond quickly to medicine or undergo fetal surgery to remove the lesions.
Hydrops can cause “mirror syndrome,” in which the mother “mirrors” the baby’s illness. The mother can develop high blood pressure and fluid retention. This condition calls for immediate delivery of the baby since it puts the mother’s life at risk.