title: [Nuchal translucency measurement--non invasive ultrasound screening for fetal abnormalities. Part II].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is well established association between increased nuchal translucency and chromosomal abnormality.
  
  
  METHODS
  To investigate a new method of screening for fetal abnormalities on the basis of maternal age and fetal nuchal translucency thickness in the first and second term of pregnancy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of 650 pregnant women from the 10th week of pregnancy until childbirth has been put under examination. Nuchal translucency thickness was measured by transvaginal ultrasound examination according to Nicolaides in the first trimester of pregnancy and by transabdominal ultrasound examination between 15-19th week of pregnancy. Derived risk were then calculated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 8 chromosomal and 1 structural defects. When we used a risk of 1:250 as the cutoff to define a positive result on the screening test, the rate of detection of fetal abnormalities was 100%, with a false positive rate 0.7%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests a benefit in combining maternal age-related risk together with NT measurement in the first and second trimester of pregnancy. Such kind of test could also be helpful in twin pregnancies.
authors.affiliation: Instytut Ginekologii i Połoznictwa UM w łodzi.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sieroszewski
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Baś-Budecka
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D025063:Chromosome Disorders / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000196:embryology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods*; D009333:Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000196:embryology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D018566:Pregnancy, High-Risk; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods