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Updated: Mar 29, 2026
High Frequency Ultrasound for the Analysis of Fetal and Placental Development In Vivo
Published on: November 8, 2018
Predicting Perinatal Outcome from Prenatal Ultrasound Characteristics in Pregnancies Complicated by Gastroschisis
Gabriella Martillotti1, Isabelle Boucoiran, Amélie Damphousse
1Maternal-Fetal Medicine Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, CHU Sainte-Justine, Universitx00E9; de Montrx00E9;al, Montreal, Que., Canada.
Introduction:
The objective of the study was to establish the predictive value of prenatal ultrasound markers for complex gastroschisis (GS) in the first 10 days of life.
Material And Methods:
In this retrospective cohort study over 11 years (2000-2011) of 117 GS cases, the following prenatal ultrasound signs were analyzed at the last second- and third-trimester ultrasounds: intrauterine growth restriction, intra-abdominal bowel dilatation (IABD) adjusted for gestational age, extra-abdominal bowel dilatation (EABD) ≥25 mm, stomach dilatation, stomach herniation, perturbed mesenteric circulation, absence of bowel lumen and echogenic dilated bowel loops (EDBL).
Results:
Among 114 live births, 16 newborns had complex GS (14.0%). Death was seen in 16 cases (13.7%): 3 intrauterine fetal deaths, 9 complex GS and 4 simple GS. Second-trimester markers had limited predictive value. Third-trimester IABD, EABD, EDBL, absence of intestinal lumen and perturbed mesenteric circulation were statistically associated with complex GS and death. IABD was able to predict complex GS with a sensitivity of 50%, a specificity of 91%, a positive predictive value of 47% and a negative predictive value of 92%.
Discussion:
Third-trimester IABD adjusted for gestational age appears to be the prenatal ultrasound marker most strongly associated with adverse outcome in GS.
