title: Fetal diaphragmatic hernia: the value of fetal echocardiography in the prediction of postnatal outcome.
abstract: Nineteen pregnancies complicated by fetal congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) referred for fetal echocardiography have been reviewed. Congenital heart disease was diagnosed prenatally in three fetuses; in one of these the pregnancy was terminated, the two other infants died in the neonatal period. The presence of the fetal stomach within the thorax or a hernia/heart area ratio greater than 1.7 was associated with a large diaphragmatic defect. Polyhydramnios was not associated with a poor postnatal outcome. Evidence of cardiac ventricular disproportion before 24 weeks gestation in isolated CDH was associated with 100% mortality. Development of ventricular disproportion during the third trimester was associated with a survival rate of 75%. In three fetuses, all of whom survived, no ventricular disproportion was detected during the third trimester examination.
authors.affiliation: Guy's Hospital, London.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: V M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Wright
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Drake
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Allan
mesh_terms: D004452:Echocardiography; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006548:Hernia, Diaphragmatic / Q000175:diagnosis; D065630:Hernias, Diaphragmatic, Congenital; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D011379:Prognosis; D014463:Ultrasonography