title: Detection by ultrasound of abnormality in twin pregnancies during the second trimester.
abstract: Five cases of abnormality in twin pregnancies, detected by ultrasound examination during the second trimester, are reported. In four pregnancies there was a fetal malformation: discordant anencephaly, a monozygotic, heterokaryotypic twin pregnancy with coexistant Turner's syndrome and intrauterine death, concordant body stalk syndrome, and a dicephalus monster. In the other pregnancy one fetus dies in utero to become a fetus papyraceous. Four of the pregnancies were associated with raised levels of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein, by singleton standards. Ultrasound examination proved of value in each case. Three pregnancies were terminated.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000175:diagnosis*; D004200:Diseases in Twins; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D014463:Ultrasonography; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins