[Nuchal translucency measurement--an effective method for early recognition of fetal disease?]

In recent years, an increasing amount of experience has been collected in measuring the nuchal translucency (NT) of the fetus in early pregnancy. While all fetuses develop a measurable collection of fluid in the area of the neck between the 11th and 14th weeks of pregnancy, the fact that fetuses with chromosomal disorders, cardiac defects, and syndromal diseases, in particular, reveal an above-average incidence of increased NT has been noticed.

By processing our own patient data from the past two years, we intend to elucidate the question of whether NT measurement is a sensible investigation for the early detection of fetal problems.

NT measurements were carried out in 199 fetuses; these measurements were standardized according to the guidelines of the Foetal Medicine Foundation in London, in whose multicentric study we are participating. The patients were under the care of our prenatal diagnosis and therapy department and were referred to us from external sources.

NT within the reference range was determined in 152 fetuses; NT exceeded the reference value in 47 fetuses. Of those fetuses with increased NT, 7 fetuses revealed a chromosomal anomaly, 1 foetus was suffering from a cardiac defect, 3 fetuses were suffering from other organ abnormalities, and 3 fetuses were determined to be suffering from syndromal disease. None of the fetuses whose NT measurements were within the reference range was discovered to be suffering from any of the above-mentioned problems.

Even this relatively small group of patients reveals that NT measurement is a very effective filter for detecting certain fetal diseases during the early fetal period.