Retrospective analysis of fetal anterior abdominal wall defects

To analyze fetal abdominal defects diagnosed during the prenatal period in the perinatology department in a tertiary center in Turkey.

This retrospective study consisted of 27 cases diagnosed with fetal abdominal wall defects between January 2011 and February 2014 in the perinatology outpatient clinic of Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey.

Eighteen (66.7%) cases were diagnosed with omphalocele, 6 (22.2%) had gastroschisis, and 3 (11.1%) had limb body wall defects. Twenty-one (77.7%) patients diagnosed either as omphalocele or limb body wall defect were offered karyotype analysis; 11 (52.4%) of them accepted the intervention, and 2 of the 11 patients (18.2%) had abnormal karyotype. Regarding the omphalocele cases; 12 (66.6%) cases had isolated omphalocele, whereas 6 of the 18 cases (33.3%) had associated anomalies. Expectant management was performed in 8 (66.7%) of 12 isolated omphalocele cases. Two of the isolated omphalocele group (16.7%) had missed abortion, the other 2 (16.7%) had termination of the pregnancy because of the associated chromosomal anomaly (47,XXY and 45,X0). Three of the gastroschisis group (50%) had missed abortion, and the other 3 (50%) had expectant management with cesarean delivery between 38-39 gestational weeks. Cases with limb body wall defect were terminated due to the lethal condition.

The prenatal diagnosis of fetal abdominal wall defects is important, because they differ greatly in terms of perinatal and neonatal morbidity and mortality due to underlying chromosomal abnormalities and associated structural anomalies.