A case series of gastrointestinal abnormalities in fetuses with echogenic bowel detected during the antenatal period.
OBJECTIVE
The objective was to evaluate the incidence of gastrointestinal abnormalities amongst those fetuses with antenatally diagnosed echogenic bowel (EB).


METHODS
A retrospective review of all cases delivered from April 2002 to March 2003 with antenatally diagnosed EB was conducted. This was defined as bowel that appeared as echogenic as (if not greater than) the iliac bone on a real-time image. The postnatal outcomes with regard to gastrointestinal abnormalities, till their discharge, were noted.


RESULTS
Of the 13,941 patients delivered, there were 70 cases with antenatally diagnosed EB, giving an incidence of 70/13,941 or 0.50%. Of these, 6 defaulted follow-up and 1 had a mid-trimester termination of pregnancy at 21 weeks' gestation for social reasons. Of the remaining 63 cases with EB, 2 were stillbirths at 31 weeks and 35 weeks of gestation, respectively. Three fetuses (3/63 or 4.76%) were diagnosed with gastrointestinal abnormalities. Meconium plug syndrome was diagnosed postnatally in 2 cases, of which, 1 resolved with conservative management while the other required an emergency laparotomy. Intestinal atresia was diagnosed in the postmortem of one of the stillbirths. There was evidence of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) in both the stillbirth and the fetus that had required laparotomy. None of the 3 fetuses exhibited clinical features of aneuploidy.


CONCLUSIONS
As the quoted background risk for gastrointestinal pathology is 0.23%, an increased incidence (4.76%) is observed in those fetuses found to have antenatal EB. It is possible that the presence of IUGR is associated with a worse prognosis. Further prospective studies are needed to verify this association.
Tan
H H
HH
Department of Maternal Fetal Medicine, KK Women's & Children's Hospital, 100 Bukit Timah Road, Singapore 229899.
Tan
V C
VC
Yeo
G S
GS
D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007415:Intestinal Obstruction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007422:Intestines / Q000002:abnormalities*; D008423:Maternal Age; D008470:Meconium / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012846:Singapore / Q000453:epidemiology; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal