[Prenatal diagnosis of prune belly syndrome occurring in siblings in 2 consecutive pregnancies].

The present paper reports on the occurrence of Prune Belly syndrome in siblings. The mother, now 21, gave birth in 1981 to a boy with Prune Belly syndrome. In the second pregnancy the changes in the fetus were first diagnosed by sonography in the 26th week. An ovarian tumor was ruled out by transabdominal puncture of the tumor in the girl's lower abdomen; dilatation of the bladder was diagnosed by the subsequent sonographic check-up. At the same time amniotic fluid was taken in order to determine the fetal karyotype. As the quantity of amniotic fluid was normal, further treatment was put off: a vesicoamniotic shunt, which had been considered at one stage, was not constructed, even though the dilatory changes in the urinary tract increased. In the 37th week a girl was delivered by cesarean section. She had Prune Belly syndrome. Kidney function post part was normal; the prognosis for the infant is good, as it is for her brother who was not treated prenatally. The authors' observations, especially of the course of the second pregnancy, show that provided the quantity of amniotic fluid is normal, prenatal therapy with its attendant risks should only be considered with great reservation.