Fetal Infections
Key Points • Cytomegalovirus (CMV) can cause both primary and nonprimary infections. Around 50% of the pregnant women are seronegative; 1% will develop primary infection during pregnancy. Prenatal diagnosis relies…
Fetal Platelet Disorders
Key Points • Fetal platelet disorder is a potentially life-threatening condition. • Fetal thrombocytopenia may lead to fetal bleeding. complications, such as an intracranial haemorrhage. • Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. •…
Diagnosis and Management of Abnormalities of the Face
Key Points • The fetal face can be visualised by ultrasound from 9 weeks’ gestation onwards. • After 9 weeks’ gestation, only proportional changes occur in the fetal face. •…
Fetal Growth and Growth Restriction
Key Points • Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is practically defined as a sonographic estimated fetal weight of less than the 10th percentile for gestational age. In actuality, a growth-restricted fetus…
Haemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn
Key Points • Fetal hydrops is defined as the accumulation of fluid in two fetal compartments (abdominal ascites, pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, skin or scalp oedema). It may also be…
Open Fetal Surgery
Key Points • Most fetuses with a prenatal diagnosis of a congenital abnormality can be managed expectantly. For some conditions, in utero referral is mandatory for planned delivery and management…
Fetal Tumours
Key Points • Fetal tumours are rare and should be managed by an experienced multidisciplinary team. • Magnetic resonance imaging is an important imaging modality in the diagnosis and management…
Fetal Hydrops
Key Points • Hydrops fetalis is a pathological condition of excessive fluid accumulation in at least two extravascular compartments, including fetal soft tissues and body cavities. Hydrops fetalis is a…
Fetal Lung Lesions
Key Points • A limited number of congenital malformations of the respiratory tract can be identified directly by prenatal sonography. • These malformations should be described systematically because definitive diagnosis…
Diagnosis and Management of Fetal Skeletal Abnormalities
Key Points • Diagnosis of skeletal anomalies is challenging and requires time and a team approach, including clinical geneticists, paediatricians and pathologists. • This chapter deals with the prenatal diagnosis…
