title: Prenatal ultrasound monitoring of homozygous α0-thalassemia-induced fetal anemia.
abstract: A noninvasive approach by serial ultrasound examination at 12-15, 18, and 30 weeks of gestation can be used to exclude homozygous α0-thalassemia-induced fetal anemia. At 12-15 weeks of gestation, the predictive values for the fetal cardio-thoracic ratio were better than that for the placental thickness. At 16-20 weeks of gestation, measuring middle cerebral artery peak systolic velocity is associated with a low false-positive rate. However, the false-positive rate of this noninvasive approach can be about 3%, requiring an invasive test to confirm the diagnosis. A false-negative may result in a delay in diagnosis. The success of this noninvasive approach depends on an accurate measurement of the fetal cardiothoracic ratio which can be improved by adequate training and subsequent quality control. Currently, there is a lack of data reporting the performance of a noninvasive approach before 12 weeks of gestation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Block H, 10/F, 30 Gascoigne Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: lhl102@ha.org.hk.
authors.forename: Helena H L
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Block H, 10/F, 30 Gascoigne Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: Msl061@ha.org.hk.
authors.forename: Annisa S L
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Mak
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Block H, 10/F, 30 Gascoigne Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: Pcf301@qeh.ha.org.hk.
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Poon
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Block H, 10/F, 30 Gascoigne Road, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Electronic address: Leungky1@ha.org.hk.
authors.forename: K Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Leung
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity; D006332:Cardiomegaly / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D048208:Nuchal Translucency Measurement; D010920:Placenta / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011262:Pregnancy Trimester, Second; D013909:Thorax / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D017085:alpha-Thalassemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
keywords: Hb-Bart's disease; cardiomegaly; middle cerebral artery; prenatal diagnosis; prenatal ultrasonography; α(0)-thalassemia