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…
Introduction * Acknowledgement: This study was supported by a grant from the Fetal Medicine Foundation (Charity No: 1037116). Aneuploidies are major causes of perinatal death and childhood disability. Consequently, the detection of chromosomal disorders constitutes the most frequent indication for…
Introduction The first trimester of pregnancy is generally considered to be the first 13 completed weeks. In the past, first-trimester ultrasound has mainly been used to confirm fetal viability, establish pregnancy location, count the number of fetuses and assess gestational…
Acknowledgments I acknowledge Brad Hoehne, Radiology Digital Imaging Specialist (Nationwide Children’s Hospital), for preparation of figures. Back pain is common in children and tends to increase with age, especially in the early teen years. Although back pain can be the…