A lethal presentation of de novo deletion 7q

Deletion of 7q32----qter is a well defined syndrome which usually arises de novo. The proband we report was the result of an uncomplicated 36 week first pregnancy of non-consanguineous Oriental parents. The male infant died shortly after birth. Chromosome studies of peripheral blood and umbilical cord revealed 46,XY,del(7), apparently (q32----qter). The parents' karyotypes were normal. The observed facial structural abnormalities and hydrocephalus rather than microcephaly are in sharp contrast to the clinically described syndrome. The lethal components, absence of suprarenal glands and hydranencephaly, suggest either an unknown confounding factor or a more proximal deletion with an alternative interpretation of 7q--(q23.1----q36.1) rather than the apparent breakpoint at 7q32.