Fetal intestinal echogenecity during the second semester. A warning sign?

Abstract

The increase of the intestinal ecogenecity is a fetal sonographic finding that may constitute a normal variant or be associated to chromosomal anomalies and bad formations. We performed a prospective study, begun in 2000, and extended up to 2006. We report our experience with patients, to whom this sonographic marker was diagnosed. We examined 5 998 pregnant women, finding out 59 fetus with this sign; 30 of them (50.8 %) presented some unfavorable alterations in their evolution, predominating the retarded intrauterine growth and the bad formations of the digestive tube and finding also 4 chromosomal anomalies in the sample, so we consider that this finding should be a warning sign for every ultrasounder, who should program a frequent follow up of these cases, including the search of the rest of the aneuploids sonographic markers, fetal echocardiography and tight vigilance of the fetal growth and vitality; they should take into consideration these findings when offering genetic advisement.