[Antenatal diagnosis of goiter by ultrasonography]

A case of foetal goiter diagnosed by ultrasonography is reported. A first child had been under treatment since the age of 4 months for goitrous hypothyroidism. A second pregnancy developed normally. However, at 27 weeks a first ultrasonography showed hypertrophy of the foetus' thyroid gland, and this was confirmed by a second ultrasonic examination performed at 34 weeks. The femoral ossification centre, which usually appears between 31 and 33 weeks of amenorrhoea, was absent. The child was born at 41 weeks. Additional examinations confirmed the presence of hypothyroidism with goiter and disorders of organification. This is the third case of foetal goiter discovered in utero by ultrasonography. The important therapeutic implications of such a diagnosis (appropriate neonatal intensive care in case of compressive goiter, very early treatment of hypothyroidism) open new possibilities of monitoring in pregnant women whose history suggests a risk of foetal goiter.