Detailed Transabdominal Fetal Anatomic Scanning at 13-16 Weeks Versus 18-20 weeks in relation to fetal outcome

Abstract

SUMMARY A ntenatal care is a primary defense mechanism against diagnosis of the disease and detecting severe cases with subsequent early management and intervention. The second line of defense mechanism which would carry the lowest maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality is the aggressive management of severe cases of high risk pregnancy. The mid-trimester fetal anatomy scan in our practice remains crucial to complement the late first‐trimester scan, therefore, Pregnancies at risk of maternal or fetal disease may be better identified during the 18-20 week scan thus providing more individualized patient- and disease-specific approach to the further management of the pregnancy. This study which was conducted at the Special Care Unit for the Fetus at Ain Shams Maternity hospital, it included 200 pregnant women attending the ultrasound unit for their routine antenatal care aimed to closely scan their fetuses for targeted organ scanning by transabdominal ultrasound during the period of 13-16 weeks of pregnancy then rescan them during 18-20 weeks of pregnancy targeting the same organs. The results of both scans were evaluated with respect to the outcome of the infants. This study concluded that none of both gestational ages (13-16 weeks and 18-20) is clearly superior to the other. At 13-16 weeks scan most lethal malformations were detected allowing early termination of pregnancy. At 18-20 weeks scan was associated with a slightly higher detection rate of major malformations, although the difference was not statistically significant.