title: Correlation between prenatal diagnosis by ultrasound and fetal autopsy findings in second-trimester abortions.
abstract: We evaluated the correlation between prenatal diagnosis by ultrasound and autopsy findings, based on 52 second-trimester pregnancies terminated due to fetal malformations or chromosome aberrations diagnosed at a gestational age of 12-25 weeks. In 24 pregnancies, there was full agreement between ultrasound and autopsy. In 23 fetuses, the main diagnosis was confirmed and additional or more specific findings were observed on autopsy. In five fetuses, there were considerable differences. Discrepancies between ultrasound and autopsy findings were mainly anomalies undetectable by ultrasound and thus expected; however, about one-third of the discrepancies were not expected, representing findings that were 'missed' at ultrasound. The main ultrasound diagnoses were confirmed in the majority of the pregnancies, but the additional information obtained at autopsy in more than half of the fetuses clearly shows the value and benefit of postmortem fetal examination following termination of a pregnancy.
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Roskilde Hospital, Denmark. lhauerberg@hotmail.com
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Hauerberg
authors: Lillian
authors: L
authors: Skibsted
authors: Niels
authors: N
authors: Graem
authors: Lisa Leth
authors: LL
authors: Maroun
mesh_terms: D000025:Abortion, Eugenic; D000328:Adult; D001344:Autopsy; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011247:Pregnancy; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal