Abstract
In Japan, the birthrate continues to decline and the average maternal age of which the woman gives birth for the first time is increasing. In such a situation, More and more pregnant ladies are anxious about their fetal health.
In Japan, noninvasive prenatal test (NIPT) has started to be offered since 2013 as a prenatal test for chromosomal abnormalities including trisomy 13, trisomy 18 and trisomy 21. NIPT is available from 10 weeks of gestation and very accurate screening test. In addition, this test can be carried out only by a blood taken from a pregnant lady and noninvasive for a fetus. For that reason, a lot of pregnant ladies want to have this test and the hospitals which are authorized to offer the test by NIPT consortium have not been able to cope with all the request. However, these chromosomal abnormalities which are thought to be appropriate as targets of NIPT are just part of congenital abnormalities.
On the other hand, because of the development of the resolution of ultrasound machines, early diagnosis of fetal diseases is now gathered attention. In our hospital, since December of 2017, we have started first trimester scan not only for assessment of risks of chromosomal abnormalities but also anatomical assessment to detect structural abnormalities which can not be detected by NIPT.
The technology of NIPT is innovative but still limiting. Therefor, by combining NIPT with anatomical assessment by the scan, a prenatal test may be able to be promoted to a fetal health check.
In this symposium, we will show the performance of first trimester anatomical assessment by the scan and discuss fetal medicine following a prenatal diagnosis.
