This terracotta teaching model shows a fetus in face presentation, with a swollen and globous abdomen, enlarged liver and spleen (hepato-splenomegalia), and a swelling (edema) of the placenta (which lies in a lateral position). This is probably a case of congenital hydropsy, a syndrome affecting the fetus due to a severe form of hemolytic anemia caused, for example, by alpha-thalassemia or rhesus-factor incompatibility between the mother and fetus. The mother only displays a larger uterus, but at the moment of birth the canal is blocked. This situation used to be resolved by means of embryotomy. Today, however, fetal hydropsy can be diagnosed before birth. It is thus now possible to prevent the risk of asphyxia to which these often immature fetuses are exposed because of anemia and cardiac insufficiency. Delivery is performed in an intensive-care unit, and the newborn child is given an immediate blood transfusion. The model was commissioned by Giuseppe Galletti.