Clinical value of 2D and 3D ultrasonography in prenatal diagnosis of fetal abdominal wall defects.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical role of ultrasonography in the prenatal diagnosis of fetal abdominal wall defects.Methods:We used ultrasonography to observe the morphology and specific ultrasonographic features of fetal abdominal wall defects during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy,and compared them with the pathological findings.Results:Fetal abdominal wall defect was diagnosed in 58 cases.Gastroschisis as an isolated finding occurred in 18(78.3%) fetuses,and 5(21.7%) cases had associated malformations.Omphalocele included 23(67.6%) isolated anomalies and 11(32.4%) multi-anomalies.Conclusions:Ultrasonography plays an important role in the prenatal diagnosis of fetal abdominal wall defects during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy,which provides important information for detecting other associated fetal defects.