title: Body stalk anomaly: adverse maternal outcomes in a series of 21 cases.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the demographic characteristics of cases with body stalk anomaly (BSA) and describe the obstetric outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective review of a case series of BSA diagnosed from 2000 to 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among the 21 cases, mean gestational age at diagnosis was 22 weeks (range 11-35 weeks). Ten cases elected termination of pregnancy, which was performed at a median gestational age of 24 weeks. One termination of pregnancy at 33 weeks' gestation in a woman with late diagnosis of BSA and a previous uterine scar, required cesarean section during labor because of clinical signs of uterine rupture. Of the remaining 11 cases, four were lost to follow-up, three delivered vaginally, three underwent elective cesarean sections, and one underwent cesarean section because of obstructed labor. Six of seven cases were growth restricted and six of seven were small for gestational age. There were no abnormal karyotypes among the nine cases which underwent cytogenetic studies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Continuation of pregnancy in the presence of BSA is associated with greater maternal risks, in the form of labor complications requiring cesarean section. This information should be discussed with couples at the time of diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: State University of Campinas, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Campinas, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Laura Botelho
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.forename: Egle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Couto
authors.forename: Erica
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Furlan
authors.forename: Renata
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zaccaria
authors.forename: Kleber
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Andrade
authors.forename: Ricardo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Barini
authors.forename: Marcelo Luís
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Nomura
mesh_terms: D034861:Abdominal Wall / Q000002:abnormalities*; D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007744:Obstetric Labor Complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014597:Uterine Rupture / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult