Fetal ultrasound

Area of Science:

• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Medical Imaging
• Fetal Medicine

Background:

• Obstetric ultrasound is a key tool for fetal visualization and assessing the intrauterine environment.
• The field of fetal ultrasound is extensive, with dedicated literature on anomaly diagnosis.
• This review addresses practical, common clinical questions in obstetric ultrasound.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide current, practical information on common clinical questions in obstetric ultrasound.
• To review key diagnoses including oligohydramnios, polyhydramnios, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), macrosomia, and multiple pregnancies.
• To discuss noninvasive assessment of fetal well-being and the role of sonography in refining risk assessment.

Main Methods:

• Review of common clinical questions in obstetric ultrasound.
• Discussion of diagnoses related to amniotic fluid volume, fetal growth, and fetal number.
• Inclusion of noninvasive fetal well-being assessment techniques.

Main Results:

• Covers diagnoses of oligohydramnios, polyhydramnios, intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), macrosomia, and multiple pregnancies.
• Addresses the noninvasive assessment of fetal well-being.
• Explains the use of sonography to refine risk assessment for abnormal antenatal screenings.

Conclusions:

• Obstetric ultrasound is crucial for assessing fetal development and well-being.
• Sonography aids in diagnosing common fetal conditions and guiding risk assessment.
• This review offers practical insights for common clinical scenarios in obstetric ultrasound.