Trisomy 18: Fetal ultrasound findings at different gestational ages.

The aim of this article is evaluate the sonograhic findings in fetuses with trisomy 18 at different gestational ages. The cases were recruited from pregnant women, who underwent to prenatal diagnosis in the period from October 1995 to September 2006. Seventy-one fetuses with trisomy 18 were diagnosed.

First-trimester fetal heart block and increased nuchal translucency: an indication for early fetal echocardiography.

Prevalence of congenital heart disease increases with nuchal translucency (NT) thickness. First-trimester fetal bradycardia may result from heart block associated with complex congenital heart disease. We report two cases detected in the first trimester of pregnancy, in which both fetuses showed an increased nuchal translucency and bradycardia.

Fetal nasal bone and trisomy 21 in the second trimester.

Objectives: To assess the feasibility of measuring nasal bone length in the second trimester of pregnancy and to confirm if fetal nasal bone absence or hypoplasia is a marker for Down syndrome.

Methods: Fetal nasal bone assessment was performed in 439 consecutive singleton pregnancies at high risk of Down syndrome between 15 and 21 weeks. All ultrasound examinations were performed transabdominally by five skilled sonographers.