title: Early Detection of Fetal Malformation, a Long Distance Yet to Cover! Present Status and Potential of First Trimester Ultrasonography in Detection of Fetal Congenital Malformation in a Developing Country: Experience at a Tertiary Care Centre in India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Early detection of malformation is tremendously improved with improvement in imaging technology. Yet in a developing country like India majority of pregnant women are not privileged to get timely diagnosis.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the present status and potential of first trimester ultrasonography in detection of fetal congenital structural malformations.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective observational study conducted at Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences. All pregnant women had anomaly scan and women with fetal structural malformations were included.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Out of 4080 pregnant women undergoing ultrasound, 312 (7.6%) had fetal structural malformation. Out of 139 patients who were diagnosed after 20 weeks, 47 (33.8%) had fetal structural anomalies which could have been diagnosed before 12 weeks and 92 (66.1%) had fetal malformations which could have been diagnosed between 12 and 20 weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The first trimester ultrasonography could have identified 50% of major structural defects compared to 1.6% in the present scenario. This focuses on the immense need of the hour to gear up for early diagnosis and timely intervention in the field of prenatal detection of congenital malformation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Reproductive Health, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), Lucknow 226 014, India.
authors.forename: Namrata
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kashyap
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Reproductive Health, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), Lucknow 226 014, India.
authors.forename: Mandakini
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pradhan
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Reproductive Health, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), Lucknow 226 014, India.
authors.forename: Neeta
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of Maternal and Reproductive Health, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS), Lucknow 226 014, India.
authors.forename: Sangeeta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yadav
mesh_terms: D000028:Abortion, Induced; D057210:Delayed Diagnosis; D003906:Developing Countries; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000592:standards*