A comparative study of prenatal diagnosis and perinatal autopsy

The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy of prenatal ultrasonography and to identify patterns of fetal malformations. All fetal and neonatal autopsies over a 3 year period were compared to prenatal sonographic findings and comparisons were made between the results of the two examinations. We identified 133 fetuses and neonates who had both a complete autopsy and a perinatal autopsy. Approximately 87% of autopsy-demonstrated major abnormalities had been detected by prenatal ultrasonography, with 61% of all malformations detected. Some limitations in accuracy of prenatal diagnosis are unavoidable, but strict attention to a thorough fetal examination should improve accuracy. Autopsy examination remains an important component of the evaluation of perinatal losses, especially if dysmorphology is known or suspected.