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Updated: Jun 25, 2026
Murine Fetal Echocardiography
Published on: February 15, 2013
[Early fetal megacystis at first trimester: a six-year retrospective study]
K Boissier1, M-N Varlet, C Chauleur
1Service de gynécologie-obstétrique, CHU de Saint-Etienne, hôpital Nord, avenue Albert-Raimond, 42055 Saint-Etienne cedex 02, France.
Objective:
A fetal megacystis is defined by a longitudinal bladder diameter more than 7 mm. The purpose of this study is to describe the prenatal ultrasound findings of this early fetal pathology and to assess pronostic and aetiologycal criteria.
Patients And Methods:
Between January 2003 and December 2008, 12 cases of early fetal megacystis were identified in our referral fetal medicine unit (Saint-Etienne hospital, France).
Results:
There were two cases of spontaneous resolution and one case wasn't a fetal megacystis. Termination of pregnancy for medical indications was realised for another cases because of associated malformations and bad evolution (six cases) and three chromosomal abnormalities (two cases of trisomy 18 and one of trisomy 21).
Discussion And Conclusion:
Sonographic follow-up and fetal karyotyping are important to evaluate prognosis. However, our data suggest that fetal megacystis is a severe condition when diagnosed in early pregnancy.