title: Clinical features of pregnancies with fatal fetal abnormality.
abstract: Obstetrical features and antenatal findings in 68 pregnancies with fatal fetal abnormalities are evaluated. The course of the pregnancy was complicated in 81% of these cases, the most common complication being intrauterine fetal growth retardation (IUGR) which was typical for 18-trisomies and multimalformed fetuses. The retardation in symphyseal-fundal growth was manifested on the average on the 25th gestational week. Low-profile type biparietal growth retardation was associated with 43% of the IUGR cases, and the brain-sparing effect in growth was found in 29%. Polyhydramnios was a complication in 30% of the series. Premature labor was associated with 60% of the spontaneously initiated deliveries in the series, and was not due to the polyhydramniotic tendency only. Antenatal evaluation of the fetoplacental unit function revealed a normal capacity of 62% of the cases. The fatality of the fetal abnormality was not manifested in any special feature of the complications of the pregnancy. Antenatal etiological evaluation and search for fetal anomalies in all pregnancies complicated by early IUGR, polyhydramnios and imminent premature labor is stressed for the adequate assessment of perinatal care.
mesh_terms: D002902:Chromosomes, Human, 16-18; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000175:diagnosis; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000150:complications; D006831:Polyhydramnios / Q000150:complications; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011295:Prenatal Care; D014314:Trisomy