Practicing prenatal diagnosis within the law.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to L de Crespigny.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Transvaginal ultrasound of the cervix is increasingly used to estimate cervical length during pregnancy. Initially used to determine a possible need for cervical suture, the technique has been shown to be of value in the prediction of preterm delivery In addition, bacterial vaginosis has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of preterm delivery. We hypothesised that shortening of the cervix and potential cervical pathogens, in particular the presence of bacterial vaginosis, act synergistically in the pathogenesis of premature labour. Three hundred and sixteen women were recruited for prospective longitudinal follow-up, with both transvaginal ultrasound and cervical bacteriology performed at approximately 18 and 28 weeks gestation. A strong correlation was found between a shortened cervix and preterm delivery (p<0.02 at 18 weeks; p<0.001 at 28 weeks). Women with both a short cervix and cervical pathogens had the highest risk of preterm delivery (43%), although not significantly greater than a short cervix with normal cervical flora (31% preterm delivery). In the presence of a normal cervical length, preterm delivery rates in the presence of normal flora and potential cervical pathogens were much lower (9% and 5% respectively).
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Five fetuses, each with a sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT) were delivered at the Royal Women's Hospital while 2 fetuses, each with a SCT were delivered at Monash Medical Centre in 1998. The number of cases reported in this series is higher than expected but it most likely occurred due to chance. The diagnosis was made prenatally in all cases. Three of the SCT were entirely external while the remaining 4 were external with intrapelvic extension. Rapid growth of the SCT occurred in 3 fetuses. This was associated with polyhydramnios in 2 fetuses. No fetus developed nonimmune hydrops. Six infants were liveborn (perinatal mortality rate of 14%), 3 of whom were delivered prior to 37 weeks' gestation. Two infants were delivered by classical Caesarean section. The remaining 4 infants were delivered by lower uterine segment Caesarean section. There was 1 perinatal death. This stillborn infant was delivered vaginally. The 6 surgical resections were performed between the 4th and 10th postnatal days. Histological examination confirmed the diagnosis of benign SCT in each. One infant developed a recurrence at 2 months of age and required chemotherapy.
Seventeen fetuses were diagnosed with isolated congenital talipes equinovarus (CTEV) on mid-trimester ultrasound at the Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne, between January, 1992 and December 1995. Sixteen of the 17 cases had an amniocentesis performed and all karyotypes were normal. The remaining case was phenotypically normal, except for a clubfoot. None of the pregnancies was complicated by any of the recognized intrauterine environmental causes of CTEV. Four of the babies were delivered prematurely and all survived the neonatal period. Six (35%) infants did not have CTEV at birth, although 2 had postural varus feet. Nine of the 11 infants who did have CTEV at birth were treated within days of birth with plaster of Paris for periods of 6 to 12 weeks. Two infants required no further treatment, 5 required orthotics and 2 required surgery. The other 2 infants with CTEV at birth were treated with orthotics at 8 weeks of age. All infants were considered to have an excellent result at the 2 year follow-up. Seven (41%) of the prospective parents received antenatal counselling by an orthopaedic surgeon and the lack of study on outcome following an ultrasound diagnosis of CTEV was the impetus for our work.
Saline infusion sonohysterography (SIS) is an important gynaecological diagnostic tool which is little used in Australia. We herein report the findings in 60 women referred for SIS, the procedure being uneventfully performed in 55. Forty-nine of the 60 referrals were for investigation of abnormal uterine bleeding. The technique described allows examination of the uterine cavity and the Fallopian tubes. In 26 of the patients information was obtained which improved or altered the diagnosis made on B mode and colour Doppler ultrasound. Unlike hysteroscopy, SIS is always performed as an outpatient procedure, appropriate disinfection procedures are relatively simple to implement (1), and vasovagal reactions are rare. Hysteroscopy was avoided in 11 patients, there were other benefits in 4 patients, and in only 1 of 16 patients did the hysteroscopy findings differ with SIS. If diagnostic pitfalls are avoided by careful attention to detail, SIS offers a powerful new gynaecological investigative tool in the investigation of bleeding disorders (including menorrhagia, intermenstrual and postmenopausal bleeding), uncertain endometrial findings on vaginal ultrasound, infertility, and in the investigation of congenital and acquired uterine abnormalities.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of ultrasound measurement of nuchal thickness in first trimester fetuses for predicting fetal karyotype. DESIGN: A prospective study of the nuchal thickness of fetuses measured during an ultrasound examination in all women undergoing first trimester chorionic villus sampling (CVS). SETTING: Two major public hospitals and two associated private practices between 7 September 1993 and 6 September 1994. PARTICIPANTS: Pregnant women with various indications for CVS (in 82% because of maternal age). RESULTS: 1306 women underwent CVS, including 11 with twin pregnancies: 1317 fetuses were tested. Karyotype results were obtained for 1312 fetuses: 41 (3.1%) had an abnormal karyotype, and 20 of these (49%) had a nuchal thickness measurement of 3 mm or more, compared with 44 (3.5%) of the 1271 fetuses with a normal karyotype. Of the 21 fetuses shown to have trisomy 21, 12 would have been detected if a nuchal thickness of 3 mm or more had been used as an indicator, giving a sensitivity of 57%. Nuchal thickness measurements of 1 or 2 mm excluded trisomy 21 with a negative predictive value of 99.3%. Fetuses with moderate nuchal thickening, normal karyotype and no other problems noted on the initial ultrasound scan had neonatal outcomes similar to those in the general obstetric population. CONCLUSION: Nuchal thickening in the first trimester (10 weeks on) of pregnancy in a high risk population is a powerful indicator of increased risk of aneuploidy.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The use of anti-D immunoglobulin has dramatically reduced the incidence of rhesus isoimmunization arising from pregnancy. A critical shortage of anti-D has developed and consumption must be reduced, preferably without increasing the risk of isoimmunization. The standard dosage of anti-D currently given at all gestational ages is 1 ampoule containing 125 micrograms of anti-D. Of the anti-D administered half is during the first trimester when a much lower dose could be used; 30 micrograms would remove from the maternal circulation the entire fetoplacental blood volume (3 ml) of a 12 week's pregnancy. A dose of 30 micrograms would also be adequate for most fetomaternal transfusions after 12 weeks but prior to the third trimester. A larger dose could be administered if maternal Kleihauer testing suggests the need for a supplementary dose. In the third trimester, the current regimen is appropriate - a dose of 125 micrograms of anti-D supplemented when needed on the basis of maternal Kleihauer testing. A lower dose ampoule of anti-D should be available. In addition, existing protocols for anti-D administration should be modified so that smaller more appropriate doses are given, better utilizing the limited supply of anti-D.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
The results of the first 10 years' experience in ultrasound-guided fetal intravascular transfusions at the Royal Women's Hospital were reviewed. Since the first transfusion, a variety of techniques have been employed in 78 fetuses, all with severe erythroblastosis. A total of 288 intrauterine transfusions have been attempted with an overall survival rate of 75.6% (59 of 78). The overall survival rate for delivered fetuses improved from 64.3% (18 of 28) in 1984-1987, to 82.0% (41 of 50) in 1988-1993. There was a total of 33 hydropic fetuses, of whom 20 (60.6%) survived, significantly fewer compared with 86.7% (39 of 45) of the nonhydropic fetuses (odds ratio [OR] 0.25, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.09 to 0.70, p < .01). Fetuses who were sicker at the time of transfusion, as reflected by larger haemoglobin deficits, had lower survival rates, as did those requiring transfusions at earlier gestational ages. When these variables were allowed for, the survival rate significantly improved over time (OR 6.3, 95% CI 1.3 to 30.4, p < 0.05), probably reflecting the increased skill of the ultrasonologists, but the presence of hydrops per se was no longer important. Variations of the technique employed, such as exchange or intraperitoneal transfusion, or different sites for transfusion, were not significantly related to survival.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.