Prenatal Testing

Key clinical point: A pregnancy-specific questionnaire to perform risk factor-based screening for elevated lead levels during pregnancy identified parturients with elevated blood lead levels with good sensitivity but poor specificity.

Major finding: Almost 78% of participants reported at least 1 risk factor for lead, with the questionnaire showing high sensitivity (100%) but low specificity (22%) for identifying detectable maternal lead levels. The blood lead level was clinically reportable in 2.2% of participants, with 1 of them having a blood lead level above 5 μg/dL.

Study details: Findings are from an analysis of 92 parturients with a singleton pregnancy ≥34 weeks’ gestation who had data recorded for blood lead levels and completed a lead risk factor survey modified for pregnancy.

Disclosures: This work was supported by the Harvard Catalyst, Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center, Harvard University, and others. The authors declared no conflict of interests.

Source: Johnson KM et al. Matern Child Health J. 2022 Jan 12. doi: 10.1007/s10995-021-03325-x.

Key clinical point: A pregnancy-specific questionnaire to perform risk factor-based screening for elevated lead levels during pregnancy identified parturients with elevated blood lead levels with good sensitivity but poor specificity.

Major finding: Almost 78% of participants reported at least 1 risk factor for lead, with the questionnaire showing high sensitivity (100%) but low specificity (22%) for identifying detectable maternal lead levels. The blood lead level was clinically reportable in 2.2% of participants, with 1 of them having a blood lead level above 5 μg/dL.

Study details: Findings are from an analysis of 92 parturients with a singleton pregnancy ≥34 weeks’ gestation who had data recorded for blood lead levels and completed a lead risk factor survey modified for pregnancy.

Disclosures: This work was supported by the Harvard Catalyst, Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center, Harvard University, and others. The authors declared no conflict of interests.

Source: Johnson KM et al. Matern Child Health J. 2022 Jan 12. doi: 10.1007/s10995-021-03325-x.

Key clinical point: A pregnancy-specific questionnaire to perform risk factor-based screening for elevated lead levels during pregnancy identified parturients with elevated blood lead levels with good sensitivity but poor specificity.

Major finding: Almost 78% of participants reported at least 1 risk factor for lead, with the questionnaire showing high sensitivity (100%) but low specificity (22%) for identifying detectable maternal lead levels. The blood lead level was clinically reportable in 2.2% of participants, with 1 of them having a blood lead level above 5 μg/dL.

Study details: Findings are from an analysis of 92 parturients with a singleton pregnancy ≥34 weeks’ gestation who had data recorded for blood lead levels and completed a lead risk factor survey modified for pregnancy.

Disclosures: This work was supported by the Harvard Catalyst, Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center, Harvard University, and others. The authors declared no conflict of interests.

Source: Johnson KM et al. Matern Child Health J. 2022 Jan 12. doi: 10.1007/s10995-021-03325-x.

Key clinical point: Singleton exome sequencing (sES) could be a valuable prenatal diagnostic tool that offers the opportunity to obtain reliable and rapid prenatal results that reveal novel disease-causing variants in fetuses with ultrasound anomalies.

Major finding: The overall diagnostic yield for detection of pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants was 34.4%, with the diagnostic rate being highest for multiple anomalies (56%), followed by skeletal or renal abnormalities (50%). Furthermore, 20 novel disease-causing variants in different known disease-associated genes were identified.

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective analysis of 90 fetuses with a normal rapid aneuploidy detection but abnormal ultrasound findings, who were further investigated with sES or multigene panel analysis of 6,713 genes.

Disclosures: The study did not receive funds, grants, or other support. The authors declared no competing interests.

Source: Smogavec M et al. Eur J Hum Genet. 2022 Jan 1. doi: 10.1038/s41431-021-01012-7.

Key clinical point: Singleton exome sequencing (sES) could be a valuable prenatal diagnostic tool that offers the opportunity to obtain reliable and rapid prenatal results that reveal novel disease-causing variants in fetuses with ultrasound anomalies.

Major finding: The overall diagnostic yield for detection of pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants was 34.4%, with the diagnostic rate being highest for multiple anomalies (56%), followed by skeletal or renal abnormalities (50%). Furthermore, 20 novel disease-causing variants in different known disease-associated genes were identified.

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective analysis of 90 fetuses with a normal rapid aneuploidy detection but abnormal ultrasound findings, who were further investigated with sES or multigene panel analysis of 6,713 genes.

Disclosures: The study did not receive funds, grants, or other support. The authors declared no competing interests.

Source: Smogavec M et al. Eur J Hum Genet. 2022 Jan 1. doi: 10.1038/s41431-021-01012-7.

Key clinical point: Singleton exome sequencing (sES) could be a valuable prenatal diagnostic tool that offers the opportunity to obtain reliable and rapid prenatal results that reveal novel disease-causing variants in fetuses with ultrasound anomalies.

Major finding: The overall diagnostic yield for detection of pathogenic or likely pathogenic variants was 34.4%, with the diagnostic rate being highest for multiple anomalies (56%), followed by skeletal or renal abnormalities (50%). Furthermore, 20 novel disease-causing variants in different known disease-associated genes were identified.

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective analysis of 90 fetuses with a normal rapid aneuploidy detection but abnormal ultrasound findings, who were further investigated with sES or multigene panel analysis of 6,713 genes.

Disclosures: The study did not receive funds, grants, or other support. The authors declared no competing interests.

Source: Smogavec M et al. Eur J Hum Genet. 2022 Jan 1. doi: 10.1038/s41431-021-01012-7.

Key clinical point: Prenatal detection of fetal growth restriction (FGR) combined with polyhydramnios should indicate presence of different etiological groups with different prenatal and postnatal outcomes, necessitating long-term follow-up.

Major finding: The highest proportion of etiology identified was chromosomal abnormalities (41.8%), followed by complex malformation syndromes (24.1%), isolated malformations (15.7%), musculoskeletal disorders (9.2%), and parentally nonanomalous fetuses (9.2%). Overall, the mortality rate in the population was 64.7%.

Study details: Findings are from a single-center, retrospective analysis of 153 cases with FGR and polyhydramnios diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound, identified over 17 years.

Disclosures: No other funding sources were declared, except for open access funding by Projekt DEAL. The authors declared no competing interests.

Source: Walter A et al. Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 10. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-04371-9.

Key clinical point: Prenatal detection of fetal growth restriction (FGR) combined with polyhydramnios should indicate presence of different etiological groups with different prenatal and postnatal outcomes, necessitating long-term follow-up.

Major finding: The highest proportion of etiology identified was chromosomal abnormalities (41.8%), followed by complex malformation syndromes (24.1%), isolated malformations (15.7%), musculoskeletal disorders (9.2%), and parentally nonanomalous fetuses (9.2%). Overall, the mortality rate in the population was 64.7%.

Study details: Findings are from a single-center, retrospective analysis of 153 cases with FGR and polyhydramnios diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound, identified over 17 years.

Disclosures: No other funding sources were declared, except for open access funding by Projekt DEAL. The authors declared no competing interests.

Source: Walter A et al. Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 10. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-04371-9.

Key clinical point: Prenatal detection of fetal growth restriction (FGR) combined with polyhydramnios should indicate presence of different etiological groups with different prenatal and postnatal outcomes, necessitating long-term follow-up.

Major finding: The highest proportion of etiology identified was chromosomal abnormalities (41.8%), followed by complex malformation syndromes (24.1%), isolated malformations (15.7%), musculoskeletal disorders (9.2%), and parentally nonanomalous fetuses (9.2%). Overall, the mortality rate in the population was 64.7%.

Study details: Findings are from a single-center, retrospective analysis of 153 cases with FGR and polyhydramnios diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound, identified over 17 years.

Disclosures: No other funding sources were declared, except for open access funding by Projekt DEAL. The authors declared no competing interests.

Source: Walter A et al. Sci Rep. 2022 Jan 10. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-04371-9.

Key clinical point: A short femur (SF) as an isolated symptom in prenatal diagnosis may not require additional surveillance, but intensified pregnancy monitoring may be required if SF is a part of small for gestational age (SGA) baby, an intrauterine growth retardation, or a suspected late growth retardation.

Major finding: Overall, 49.9% of fetuses presented with an isolated SF and 50.1% had additional abnormalities, 42.6% being SGA babies and 57.4% having ≥1 severe malformation. Children with isolated SF vs those with SF and additional abnormalities had a higher live birth rate (97.8% vs 78.9%) and a lower rate of perinatal death (0.1% vs 3.9%), abortions (0.3% vs 9.6%), or spontaneous miscarriages/intrauterine demises (1.8% vs 7.6%).

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective analysis of 1,373 singleton pregnancies with a fetal femoral length of <5^th percentile, detected during the second trimester screening.

Disclosures: The open access funding was enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. The authors declared no conflict of interests.

Source: Friebe‐Hoffmann U et al. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2022 Jan 11. doi: 10.1007/s00404-021-06394-z.

Key clinical point: A short femur (SF) as an isolated symptom in prenatal diagnosis may not require additional surveillance, but intensified pregnancy monitoring may be required if SF is a part of small for gestational age (SGA) baby, an intrauterine growth retardation, or a suspected late growth retardation.

Major finding: Overall, 49.9% of fetuses presented with an isolated SF and 50.1% had additional abnormalities, 42.6% being SGA babies and 57.4% having ≥1 severe malformation. Children with isolated SF vs those with SF and additional abnormalities had a higher live birth rate (97.8% vs 78.9%) and a lower rate of perinatal death (0.1% vs 3.9%), abortions (0.3% vs 9.6%), or spontaneous miscarriages/intrauterine demises (1.8% vs 7.6%).

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective analysis of 1,373 singleton pregnancies with a fetal femoral length of <5^th percentile, detected during the second trimester screening.

Disclosures: The open access funding was enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. The authors declared no conflict of interests.

Source: Friebe‐Hoffmann U et al. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2022 Jan 11. doi: 10.1007/s00404-021-06394-z.

Key clinical point: A short femur (SF) as an isolated symptom in prenatal diagnosis may not require additional surveillance, but intensified pregnancy monitoring may be required if SF is a part of small for gestational age (SGA) baby, an intrauterine growth retardation, or a suspected late growth retardation.

Major finding: Overall, 49.9% of fetuses presented with an isolated SF and 50.1% had additional abnormalities, 42.6% being SGA babies and 57.4% having ≥1 severe malformation. Children with isolated SF vs those with SF and additional abnormalities had a higher live birth rate (97.8% vs 78.9%) and a lower rate of perinatal death (0.1% vs 3.9%), abortions (0.3% vs 9.6%), or spontaneous miscarriages/intrauterine demises (1.8% vs 7.6%).

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective analysis of 1,373 singleton pregnancies with a fetal femoral length of <5^th percentile, detected during the second trimester screening.

Disclosures: The open access funding was enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL. The authors declared no conflict of interests.

Source: Friebe‐Hoffmann U et al. Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2022 Jan 11. doi: 10.1007/s00404-021-06394-z.

Key clinical point: Performing a first-trimester ultrasound examination along with noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) led to a higher positive predictive value (PPV) for trisomy 18, which could help alleviate stress caused by a false-positive NIPT result in cases where the ultrasound is normal.

Major finding: The PPV of NIPT was 100%, 84.6%, and 100% for trisomy 21, trisomy 18, and trisomy 13, respectively. The use of ultrasound in pregnancies with positive NIPT results detected abnormalities in 80% of trisomy 13 and 100% of true-positive trisomy 18 cases.

Study details: This was a retrospective analysis of 41 women with positive NIPT results for trisomy 21, trisomy 18, and trisomy 13 who underwent a first-trimester ultrasound scan.

Disclosures: The study did not receive any funding. The authors did not have any conflict of interests.

Source: Saito M et al. J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2021 Dec 16. doi: 10.1111/jog.15115.

Key clinical point: Performing a first-trimester ultrasound examination along with noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) led to a higher positive predictive value (PPV) for trisomy 18, which could help alleviate stress caused by a false-positive NIPT result in cases where the ultrasound is normal.

Major finding: The PPV of NIPT was 100%, 84.6%, and 100% for trisomy 21, trisomy 18, and trisomy 13, respectively. The use of ultrasound in pregnancies with positive NIPT results detected abnormalities in 80% of trisomy 13 and 100% of true-positive trisomy 18 cases.

Study details: This was a retrospective analysis of 41 women with positive NIPT results for trisomy 21, trisomy 18, and trisomy 13 who underwent a first-trimester ultrasound scan.

Disclosures: The study did not receive any funding. The authors did not have any conflict of interests.

Source: Saito M et al. J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2021 Dec 16. doi: 10.1111/jog.15115.

Key clinical point: Performing a first-trimester ultrasound examination along with noninvasive prenatal testing (NIPT) led to a higher positive predictive value (PPV) for trisomy 18, which could help alleviate stress caused by a false-positive NIPT result in cases where the ultrasound is normal.

Major finding: The PPV of NIPT was 100%, 84.6%, and 100% for trisomy 21, trisomy 18, and trisomy 13, respectively. The use of ultrasound in pregnancies with positive NIPT results detected abnormalities in 80% of trisomy 13 and 100% of true-positive trisomy 18 cases.

Study details: This was a retrospective analysis of 41 women with positive NIPT results for trisomy 21, trisomy 18, and trisomy 13 who underwent a first-trimester ultrasound scan.

Disclosures: The study did not receive any funding. The authors did not have any conflict of interests.

Source: Saito M et al. J Obstet Gynaecol Res. 2021 Dec 16. doi: 10.1111/jog.15115.

Key clinical point: The novel congenital anomaly testing strategy using simultaneous CNV-seq and whole-exome sequencing (WES) can effectively identify congenital defects and complex anomalies.

Major finding: Overall, 227 trios were identified with a causative alteration (CNV or variant), of which 84.14% were de novo. Both pathogenic CNVs and variants were identified in 10 fetuses. Multisystem anomalies yielded a higher diagnostic yield than single-system anomalies (32.28% vs 22.36%; P = .0183).

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective study of 1,800 pregnant women with singleton fetuses showing structural anomalies at prenatal ultrasound screening, of which 959 trios underwent simultaneous CNV-seq and WES analysis.

Disclosures: This study was funded by CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences, National Key R&D Program of China, and others. R Chen, X Zhang, C Liu, Y Li, and J Zhang declared being employees of Berry Genomics, and the other authors had no competing interests.

Source: Chen X et al. J Transl Med. 2022 Jan 3. doi: 10.1186/s12967-021-03202-9.

Key clinical point: The novel congenital anomaly testing strategy using simultaneous CNV-seq and whole-exome sequencing (WES) can effectively identify congenital defects and complex anomalies.

Major finding: Overall, 227 trios were identified with a causative alteration (CNV or variant), of which 84.14% were de novo. Both pathogenic CNVs and variants were identified in 10 fetuses. Multisystem anomalies yielded a higher diagnostic yield than single-system anomalies (32.28% vs 22.36%; P = .0183).

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective study of 1,800 pregnant women with singleton fetuses showing structural anomalies at prenatal ultrasound screening, of which 959 trios underwent simultaneous CNV-seq and WES analysis.

Disclosures: This study was funded by CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences, National Key R&D Program of China, and others. R Chen, X Zhang, C Liu, Y Li, and J Zhang declared being employees of Berry Genomics, and the other authors had no competing interests.

Source: Chen X et al. J Transl Med. 2022 Jan 3. doi: 10.1186/s12967-021-03202-9.

Key clinical point: The novel congenital anomaly testing strategy using simultaneous CNV-seq and whole-exome sequencing (WES) can effectively identify congenital defects and complex anomalies.

Major finding: Overall, 227 trios were identified with a causative alteration (CNV or variant), of which 84.14% were de novo. Both pathogenic CNVs and variants were identified in 10 fetuses. Multisystem anomalies yielded a higher diagnostic yield than single-system anomalies (32.28% vs 22.36%; P = .0183).

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective study of 1,800 pregnant women with singleton fetuses showing structural anomalies at prenatal ultrasound screening, of which 959 trios underwent simultaneous CNV-seq and WES analysis.

Disclosures: This study was funded by CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences, National Key R&D Program of China, and others. R Chen, X Zhang, C Liu, Y Li, and J Zhang declared being employees of Berry Genomics, and the other authors had no competing interests.

Source: Chen X et al. J Transl Med. 2022 Jan 3. doi: 10.1186/s12967-021-03202-9.

Key clinical point: Intrapartum rapid test to diagnose maternal group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization did not reduce rates of prophylactic antibiotics administered to at-risk mothers for preventing mother-to-child transmission of GBS infection compared with the usual care policy of offering antibiotics based on only risk factors.

Major finding: The proportion of women receiving intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent neonatal early-onset GBS infection was not significantly different between units assigned to rapid intrapartum test vs usual care (41% vs 36%; adjusted relative risk, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.83-1.64).

Study details: Findings are from a parallel-group cluster-randomized trial including 20 maternity clinics that were randomly assigned to a strategy of an intrapartum rapid test to detect maternal GBS colonization (722 mothers; 749 babies) or usual care (906 mothers; 951 babies).

Disclosures: The GBS2 study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research, Health Technology Assessment programme. JP Daniel, J Plumb, and J Gray declared being grant holders, receiving support for attending conferences, summits, or workshops from various sources and being members of various committees.

Source: Daniels JP et al. BMC Med. 2022 Jan 14. doi: 10.1186/s12916-021-02202-2.

Key clinical point: Intrapartum rapid test to diagnose maternal group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization did not reduce rates of prophylactic antibiotics administered to at-risk mothers for preventing mother-to-child transmission of GBS infection compared with the usual care policy of offering antibiotics based on only risk factors.

Major finding: The proportion of women receiving intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent neonatal early-onset GBS infection was not significantly different between units assigned to rapid intrapartum test vs usual care (41% vs 36%; adjusted relative risk, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.83-1.64).

Study details: Findings are from a parallel-group cluster-randomized trial including 20 maternity clinics that were randomly assigned to a strategy of an intrapartum rapid test to detect maternal GBS colonization (722 mothers; 749 babies) or usual care (906 mothers; 951 babies).

Disclosures: The GBS2 study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research, Health Technology Assessment programme. JP Daniel, J Plumb, and J Gray declared being grant holders, receiving support for attending conferences, summits, or workshops from various sources and being members of various committees.

Source: Daniels JP et al. BMC Med. 2022 Jan 14. doi: 10.1186/s12916-021-02202-2.

Key clinical point: Intrapartum rapid test to diagnose maternal group B Streptococcus (GBS) colonization did not reduce rates of prophylactic antibiotics administered to at-risk mothers for preventing mother-to-child transmission of GBS infection compared with the usual care policy of offering antibiotics based on only risk factors.

Major finding: The proportion of women receiving intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent neonatal early-onset GBS infection was not significantly different between units assigned to rapid intrapartum test vs usual care (41% vs 36%; adjusted relative risk, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.83-1.64).

Study details: Findings are from a parallel-group cluster-randomized trial including 20 maternity clinics that were randomly assigned to a strategy of an intrapartum rapid test to detect maternal GBS colonization (722 mothers; 749 babies) or usual care (906 mothers; 951 babies).

Disclosures: The GBS2 study was funded by the National Institute for Health Research, Health Technology Assessment programme. JP Daniel, J Plumb, and J Gray declared being grant holders, receiving support for attending conferences, summits, or workshops from various sources and being members of various committees.

Source: Daniels JP et al. BMC Med. 2022 Jan 14. doi: 10.1186/s12916-021-02202-2.

Key clinical point: Increased fetal crown-chin length (CCL)/crown-rump length (CRL) ratio at 11-14 weeks’ gestation was significantly associated with an increased risk for skeletal dysplasia and could help screen the same in the first trimester.

Major finding: Of 16 fetuses with skeletal dysplasia, 62.5% had a CCL/CRL ratio above the 95th percentile, which when used as a cutoff yielded a detection rate, specificity, false-positive rate, and the positive likelihood ratio of 62.5%, 72.6%, 5.0%, and 17.5%, respectively.

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective study that compared CCL/CRL ratios on a first-trimester ultrasound examination in 418 normal fetuses with 154 fetuses affected by skeletal dysplasia.

Disclosures: No source of funding was declared. None of the other authors declared any conflict of interests.

Source: Li Y et al. J Ultrasound Med. 2022 Jan 3. doi: 10.1002/jum.15936.

Key clinical point: Increased fetal crown-chin length (CCL)/crown-rump length (CRL) ratio at 11-14 weeks’ gestation was significantly associated with an increased risk for skeletal dysplasia and could help screen the same in the first trimester.

Major finding: Of 16 fetuses with skeletal dysplasia, 62.5% had a CCL/CRL ratio above the 95th percentile, which when used as a cutoff yielded a detection rate, specificity, false-positive rate, and the positive likelihood ratio of 62.5%, 72.6%, 5.0%, and 17.5%, respectively.

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective study that compared CCL/CRL ratios on a first-trimester ultrasound examination in 418 normal fetuses with 154 fetuses affected by skeletal dysplasia.

Disclosures: No source of funding was declared. None of the other authors declared any conflict of interests.

Source: Li Y et al. J Ultrasound Med. 2022 Jan 3. doi: 10.1002/jum.15936.

Key clinical point: Increased fetal crown-chin length (CCL)/crown-rump length (CRL) ratio at 11-14 weeks’ gestation was significantly associated with an increased risk for skeletal dysplasia and could help screen the same in the first trimester.

Major finding: Of 16 fetuses with skeletal dysplasia, 62.5% had a CCL/CRL ratio above the 95th percentile, which when used as a cutoff yielded a detection rate, specificity, false-positive rate, and the positive likelihood ratio of 62.5%, 72.6%, 5.0%, and 17.5%, respectively.

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective study that compared CCL/CRL ratios on a first-trimester ultrasound examination in 418 normal fetuses with 154 fetuses affected by skeletal dysplasia.

Disclosures: No source of funding was declared. None of the other authors declared any conflict of interests.

Source: Li Y et al. J Ultrasound Med. 2022 Jan 3. doi: 10.1002/jum.15936.

Key clinical point: Fetal abdominal obesity (FAO) was already present at 20-24 gestational weeks (GW) in the high-risk older and/or obese women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with FAO at 20-24 GW in women with GDM being associated with higher odds of FAO at GDM diagnosis.

Major finding: Compared with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), older and/or obese women (P < .05) but not young and nonobese women with GDM had a significantly higher fetal abdominal overgrowth ratio at gestational weeks 20-24. Compared with NGT women without FAO at 20-24 GW, the odds ratio for exhibiting FAO at GDM diagnosis was 10.15 (95% CI, 5.27-19.57).

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective review of 6,996 singleton pregnant women who had fetal biometry data measured at 20-24 GW and delivered at the respective medical center were included.

Disclosures: The authors did not declare any source of funding. The authors declared no competing interests.

Source: Kim W et al. Sci Rep. 2021 Dec 10. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-03145-7.

Key clinical point: Fetal abdominal obesity (FAO) was already present at 20-24 gestational weeks (GW) in the high-risk older and/or obese women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with FAO at 20-24 GW in women with GDM being associated with higher odds of FAO at GDM diagnosis.

Major finding: Compared with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), older and/or obese women (P < .05) but not young and nonobese women with GDM had a significantly higher fetal abdominal overgrowth ratio at gestational weeks 20-24. Compared with NGT women without FAO at 20-24 GW, the odds ratio for exhibiting FAO at GDM diagnosis was 10.15 (95% CI, 5.27-19.57).

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective review of 6,996 singleton pregnant women who had fetal biometry data measured at 20-24 GW and delivered at the respective medical center were included.

Disclosures: The authors did not declare any source of funding. The authors declared no competing interests.

Source: Kim W et al. Sci Rep. 2021 Dec 10. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-03145-7.

Key clinical point: Fetal abdominal obesity (FAO) was already present at 20-24 gestational weeks (GW) in the high-risk older and/or obese women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) with FAO at 20-24 GW in women with GDM being associated with higher odds of FAO at GDM diagnosis.

Major finding: Compared with normal glucose tolerance (NGT), older and/or obese women (P < .05) but not young and nonobese women with GDM had a significantly higher fetal abdominal overgrowth ratio at gestational weeks 20-24. Compared with NGT women without FAO at 20-24 GW, the odds ratio for exhibiting FAO at GDM diagnosis was 10.15 (95% CI, 5.27-19.57).

Study details: Findings are from a retrospective review of 6,996 singleton pregnant women who had fetal biometry data measured at 20-24 GW and delivered at the respective medical center were included.

Disclosures: The authors did not declare any source of funding. The authors declared no competing interests.

Source: Kim W et al. Sci Rep. 2021 Dec 10. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-03145-7.

Key clinical point: Fetuses classified postnatally as small for gestational age (SGA) and fetal growth restricted (FGR) had smaller prenatal cardiovascular biometrics already at the second trimester anatomy scan.

Major finding: Compared with the control fetus, the SGA group had significantly smaller ascending aorta in the 3-vessel view, whereas the FGR group had significantly smaller aortic valve and pulmonary valve, even after adjusting for gestational age and abdominal circumference (all P < .005).

Study details: Findings are from a sub-study of Copenhagen Baby Heart Study, a prospective study, including 8,278 fetuses from the second trimester of pregnancy, of which 625 were classified as SGA and 289 as FGR postnatally.

Disclosures: The study was supported by funding from “Rigshospitalets Research Foundation” and “Aase and EjnarDanielsens Research Foundation” received by C Vedel. OB Petersen declared holding a professorship funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. None of the other authors declared any conflict of interests.

Source: Frandsen JS et al. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Dec 20. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.12.031.

Key clinical point: Fetuses classified postnatally as small for gestational age (SGA) and fetal growth restricted (FGR) had smaller prenatal cardiovascular biometrics already at the second trimester anatomy scan.

Major finding: Compared with the control fetus, the SGA group had significantly smaller ascending aorta in the 3-vessel view, whereas the FGR group had significantly smaller aortic valve and pulmonary valve, even after adjusting for gestational age and abdominal circumference (all P < .005).

Study details: Findings are from a sub-study of Copenhagen Baby Heart Study, a prospective study, including 8,278 fetuses from the second trimester of pregnancy, of which 625 were classified as SGA and 289 as FGR postnatally.

Disclosures: The study was supported by funding from “Rigshospitalets Research Foundation” and “Aase and EjnarDanielsens Research Foundation” received by C Vedel. OB Petersen declared holding a professorship funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. None of the other authors declared any conflict of interests.

Source: Frandsen JS et al. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Dec 20. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.12.031.

Key clinical point: Fetuses classified postnatally as small for gestational age (SGA) and fetal growth restricted (FGR) had smaller prenatal cardiovascular biometrics already at the second trimester anatomy scan.

Major finding: Compared with the control fetus, the SGA group had significantly smaller ascending aorta in the 3-vessel view, whereas the FGR group had significantly smaller aortic valve and pulmonary valve, even after adjusting for gestational age and abdominal circumference (all P < .005).

Study details: Findings are from a sub-study of Copenhagen Baby Heart Study, a prospective study, including 8,278 fetuses from the second trimester of pregnancy, of which 625 were classified as SGA and 289 as FGR postnatally.

Disclosures: The study was supported by funding from “Rigshospitalets Research Foundation” and “Aase and EjnarDanielsens Research Foundation” received by C Vedel. OB Petersen declared holding a professorship funded by the Novo Nordisk Foundation. None of the other authors declared any conflict of interests.

Source: Frandsen JS et al. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 2021 Dec 20. doi: 10.1016/j.ajog.2021.12.031.