Sacrococcygeal teratoma in the newborn: a case study of prenatal management and clinical intervention.

Sacrococcygeal teratomas (SCTs) are the most common germinal cell neoplasms of the fetus and neonate. They originate during embryonic development when the primitive streak fails to differentiate among mesodermal, ectodermal, and endodermal tissues in the embryonic disc. This article discusses the fetal pathophysiology of SCTs and the impact of the condition on the newborn. Fetal SCTs can have life-threatening physiologic effects--such as premature labor, dystocia, and high-output cardiac failure--if not managed appropriately. Clinical manifestations, prenatal diagnosis, therapeutic approaches and treatment options for the fetus and newborn, and current research related to SCTs are addressed to aid practitioners caring for a fetus or infant diagnosed with an SCT.