Introduction Anomalies of the fetal spine, particularly spina bifida, are amongst the commonest fetal malformations detectable. Anencephaly and spina bifida are the commonest neural tube defects (NTDs), accounting for up to 95% of all NTDs, and they occur with a…
Embryology Introduction The rate of change in the appearances of the developing fetal brain is quite remarkable and ultrasound has undoubtledly opened a new window into developing embryology. However it is important to realize that normality of the brain can…
Introduction Fetal size and weight at birth are functions of genetic potential and substrate supply. Genetic factors are largely responsible for growth control in the first half of pregnancy, whereas environmental factors are more important in the second half of…
Introduction About 1 in 89 spontaneous conceptions results in the birth of twins. However, with the widespread use of artificial reproductive technologies, the incidence of twinning has increased dramatically worldwide, so that in some countries twins now occur once in…
Introduction Multiple malformation syndromes may be identifiable by ultrasound following the identification of one abnormality and associated investigations. There are thousands of malformation syndromes, many too rare for the scope of this book and many not amenable to ultrasound identification.…
Introduction The geneticist's approach to the unexpected finding of fetal structural malformations is to determine whether they constitute a recognizable abnormal pattern of morphogenesis. The pattern and nature of the anomalies can often suggest the timing and cause of an…
Introduction Viral infections are a concern to practitioners in prenatal diagnosis, particularly in the interpretation of an abnormal fetal ultrasound examination. It must be emphasized that the risks of transplacental transmission and fetal damage are pathogen- and gestation-specific. An optimal…
Background Placenta praevia and placenta accreta are a source of maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. They are associated with increasing healthcare costs. Their incidence is rising as the number of Caesarean sections and maternal age increase. The importance of…
Introduction Amniotic fluid (AF) is an essential complex and dynamic environment that changes in nature and amount as pregnancy progresses. Amniotic fluid surrounds the fetus during intrauterine development and normal levels are essential to fetal well-being. The presence of normal…
Introduction Since the introduction of ultrasound scanning into obstetric practice in UK in the 1980s, there has been a considerable change to the role of this test in antenatal care, which has been driven largely by developments in technology. In…