Antenatal care: Potter sequence: practice question

A OBG question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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OBG · Antenatal care: Potter sequence

Sample item

A newborn has a flattened face with low-set ears, a beaked nose, limb deformities and severe respiratory distress. The antenatal scans showed severe oligohydramnios. What is the most likely underlying cause?

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

B. Bilateral renal agenesis

Potter sequence results from absent or severely reduced fetal urine output, which causes oligohydramnios, pulmonary hypoplasia and compression deformities of the face and limbs. The commonest cause is bilateral renal agenesis, and the pulmonary hypoplasia is the usual cause of death. Oesophageal atresia causes polyhydramnios, not oligohydramnios.

Option by option

  • A. Maternal hyperthyroidism

    Maternal thyroid disease does not produce this sequence.

  • B. Bilateral renal agenesis (correct)

    Correct. Absent kidneys cause oligohydramnios and the Potter phenotype.

  • C. Polycystic ovarian disease in the mother

    Maternal PCOS is unrelated to this fetal condition.

  • D. Oesophageal atresia

    Oesophageal atresia leads to polyhydramnios.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

More OBG questions

Questions about this OBG question

What is the answer to this OBG question?

The best answer is B, Bilateral renal agenesis. Potter sequence results from absent or severely reduced fetal urine output, which causes oligohydramnios, pulmonary hypoplasia and compression deformities of the face and limbs.

Why is "Maternal hyperthyroidism" not the answer?

Maternal thyroid disease does not produce this sequence.

Why is "Polycystic ovarian disease in the mother" not the answer?

Maternal PCOS is unrelated to this fetal condition.

Why is "Oesophageal atresia" not the answer?

Oesophageal atresia leads to polyhydramnios.

What concept does this question test?

It tests Antenatal care: Potter sequence in OBG. The commonest cause is bilateral renal agenesis, and the pulmonary hypoplasia is the usual cause of death. Oesophageal atresia causes polyhydramnios, not oligohydramnios.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study Antenatal care: Potter sequence?

Learn management algorithms as steps: PPH, eclampsia, ectopic pregnancy. Then use the flashcards and the other OBG questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.