Second trimester routine ultrasound and abnormal findings.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the detection rate of abnormal findings, especially fetal anomalies, at second trimester ultrasound screening performed in a way representative of Swedish antenatal clinics.


METHODS
A prospective study carried out over two years in Uppsala county, Sweden, including 8,228 unselected pregnant women (8,345 fetuses). The ultrasound scans were performed by specially trained midwives.


METHODS
The number of abnormalities suspected by the midwives and the number of abnormalities confirmed by the obstetricians were registered, as was pregnancy outcome for these cases.


RESULTS
Midwives reported suspected abnormalities at the screening procedure in 59 cases (0.7%), abnormalities were confirmed by obstetricians in 42 cases (0.5%, of which 0.36% were fetal malformations). Seventeen of these 42 pregnancies were terminated and 11 ended with miscarriages or intrauterine fetal deaths. Fourteen of the 42 pregnancies ended with a live born infant, of which two died postnatally.


CONCLUSIONS
The described ultrasound screening procedure led to suspected abnormalities in 0.7% of the scanned cases and to confirmed abnormalities in 0.5% of the cases. The outcome for the confirmed abnormalities was poor, as 71% were either terminated or ended with miscarriage or perinatal death.
Eurenius
K
K
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Uppsala University, Sweden.
Axelsson
O
O
Eriksson
L
L
D000028:Abortion, Induced / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000328:Adult; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D011295:Prenatal Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal