[Ultrasonographic differential diagnosis of imminent abortion (author's transl)]

Two-hundred patients, hospitalised for imminent abortion in the sixth to 16th weeks of pregnancy, underwent 294 ultrasonic compound B scans. Gravidity was found to be intact in 68 per cent of all cases, but 13.6 per cent of these ended in abortion prior to the 28th week of pregnancy. Four hydatiform moles and 17 missed abortions were reliably diagnosed. Ultrasonography, even without grey-scale equipment, may be of greatest usefulness for differential diagnosis between intact early pregnancy, missed abortion, blighted ovum, and hydatiform mole, when used by an experienced specialist in close cooperation with the clinical practitioner.