[Prenatal diagnosis of osteogenesis imperfecta]

The authors report a prenatal diagnosis of osteogenesis imperfecta or Porak and Durante disease, in which the child survived. The diagnosis was made by ultrasonography which revealed major abnormalities of osteogenesis more particularly affecting the lower limbs, which were short and deformed. Other essential features of this syndrome are osteoporosis, hyperrelaxation of ligaments and blue sclerae. This rare and genetic condition is due to type I collagen abnormalities. It is often governed by dominant transmission but manifestation of the gene is variable within a given family. Molecular biology and genetic studies offer new possibilities of prenatal diagnosis, but ultrasonography remains the investigation of choice, possibly helped by X-ray of the uterine contents.