Perinatal outcome following suspected fetal abnormality when managed through a fetal management unit.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the perinatal outcomes of the first 1057 cases seen at a fetal management unit (FMU).


METHODS
Record linkage of FMU data with the Victorian Birth data and the Victorian Births Defects Register (BDR).


RESULTS
Ninety-nine percent of cases were followed up with 811 (77%) linked to the BDR and 202 (22%) linked to the birth data. Almost two-thirds of cases with birth defects (528) were live births surviving 28 days, 52 (6%) were neonatal deaths, 26 (3%) were stillbirths and 205 (25%) were terminations. The birth defects most prevalent were of the heart/circulatory system (31%). Cases that resulted in a termination were significantly more likely to have multiple birth defects [OR 2.43 (95% CI 1.70, 3.48)], a chromosomal birth defect [OR 3.30 (95% CI 1.96, 5.57)], a lethal birth defect [OR 1.32 (95% CI 1.25, 1.38)], or a syndrome [OR 4.81 (95% CI 2.54, 9.11)]. In this setting, 61% of cases of Down syndrome resulted in a live birth.


CONCLUSIONS
Over three-quarters of cases referred to the FMU were confirmed with a birth defect and notified to the BDR. Notably, two-thirds of the cases (with or without a birth defect) were live births surviving 28 days.
Lewis
Sharon
S
Public Health Genetics, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Melbourne, Australia. sharon.lewis@mcri.edu.au
McGillivray
George
G
Rowlands
Shelley
S
Halliday
Jane
J
D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D018743:Perinatal Care; D054238:Perinatal Mortality; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis / Q000401:mortality*