Prenatal diagnosis of chromosome abnormalities in the presence of fetal structural defects.

A chromosomal abnormality was found in 42 (10.9%) out of 386 fetuses with a structural defect. Thirty-five of these were diagnosed prenatally, following ultrasonic detection of one or more structural anomalies and associated pathology such as marked intrauterine growth retardation and polyhydramnios. Termination of pregnancy was carried out in 16 fetuses aged less than 26 weeks, intrauterine and neonatal death occurred in 20 cases, the remaining 6 infants were alive at 3 months. The poor outcome in these pregnancies emphasizes the need for prenatal chromosome analysis in the presence of a fetal structural defect.