Isolated Echogenic Cardiac Focus: Assessing Association with Trisomy 21 by Combining Results from a Prenatal Center with a Bayesian Meta-Analysis.

To investigate the clinical relevance of an isolated echogenic cardiac focus (iECF) as a marker for trisomy 21 using a large second-trimester collective including a low-risk subgroup. We retrospectively evaluated 1 25 211 pregnancies from 2000-2016 and analyzed all iECF cases with regard to chromosomal anomalies. It consisted of an early second-trimester collective from 14+0-17+6 weeks (n=34 791) and a second-trimester anomaly scan collective from 18+0-21+6 weeks.

Identification of response bias on apparent pregnancy outcome after second trimester ultrasound.

Objectives: To investigate whether there is a response bias in outcome studies after prenatal ultrasound and to quantify this potential effect by information source.

Materials And Methods: All normal ultrasound scans between week 17 and week 24 and 6 days performed in the years 2004 and 2005 were investigated. A multinomial logistic regression model was applied to investigate the association between responders' outcome (questionnaire, phone interview and inquiry to birth clinic) and the following explanatory variables: maternal age, smoking status, body mass index, congenital anomaly status, low birthweight and preterm deliveries.