The clinical value of prenatal ultrasonography combined with maternal serology screening for chromosomal abnormality in 15 to 20+6 gestational weeks / 中华医学超声杂志（电子版）

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical value of prenatal ultrasonography combined with maternal serology screening for chromosomal abnormality in 15 to 20+6 gestational weeks.MethodsSix hundred and twenty-eight pregnant women (628 fetuses) in 15 to 20+6 gestational weeks were selected to undergo prenatal ultrasonography, who were in critical risk of trisomy 21 or trisomy 18 by maternal serology screening. Transabdominal ultrasonography were performed and fetal nasal bone and nuchal fold were detected. Those who had nasal bone hypoplasia, thickened nuchal fold (NF>6 mm) and other abnormal fetal soft markers underwent amniocentesis for karyotyping analysis. ResultsThere were 6 cases of nasal bone hypoplasia (0.96%, 6/628), including one case of thickened nuchal fold, two cases of echogenic bowel, two cases of choroid plexus cysts and 1 case of echogenic cardiac focus. All these 6 cases underwent amniocentesis and 2 were trisomy 21 (33.3%, 2/6). The other 4 cases had no significant chromosomal abnormality.ConclusionsPrenatal ultrasonography may improve the detection rate of chromosomal abnormality for those pregnant women who are in critical risk of chromosomal abnormality prompted by serology screening. But invasive procedures are still needed to verify the chromosomal abnormality.