BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Prenatal interventions may prevent some sequelae of congenital anomalies, yet open fetal surgery is limited by pre-term labor. We are developing amnioscopic strategies to reduce risks for in utero surgery. METHODS Seven fetal sheep were accessed percutaneously under ultrasound guidance, via maternal laparoscopy/transuterine trocars, or via laparoscopically assisted p...

The present study evaluated the prognostic value of three-dimensional ultrasound for fetal hydronephrosis. Pregnant females with fetal hydronephrosis were enrolled and a novel three-dimensional ultrasound indicator, renal parenchymal volume/kidney volume, was introduced to predict the postnatal prognosis of fetal hydronephrosis in comparison with commonly used ultrasound indicators. All ultraso...

Myelomeningocele, also known as spina bifida, is one of the most common congenital anomalies of the central nervous system and the most common open, prenatally repaired birth defect. The Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS), which compared the results of prenatal and postnatal myelomeningocele repair, found prenatal surgery to be much more effective than postnatal surgery. During surgery...

INTRODUCTION Cardiac diseases occur in 2-4% of pregnancies and rheumatic mitral disease is the most common acquired heart disease in pregnancy. Cardiac surgery carries significant maternal and fetal complications. Cardiac operation during pregnancy is indicated only when medical management fails. Although emergency cardiac surgery during pregnancy increases fetal mortality, sometime urgent card...

background: cardiovascular disease is an important non-obstetric cause of maternal and fetal /neonatal morbidity and mortality during pregnancy. for a pregnant woman with cardiac disease, the potential inability of the maternal cardiovascular system to contend with normal pregnancy-induced physiologic changes may produce deleterious effects on both mother and fetus. to determine the most freque...