ABSTRACT
Antenatal diagnosis of major congenital abnormalities in the fetus has become commonplace as a result of the increasing use and sophistication of antenatal ultrasonographic equipment. Initially, it was thought that the antenatal diagnosis of fetal abnormalities would lead to better treatment and an improved outcome, but so far, this expectation has only been partly fulfilled. Those with abnormalities that are less severe and who survive long enough to reach birth–and surgical attention–are already a selected group in whom good surgical results would be expected. For a time it was hoped that early antenatal recognition of some of these conditions would allow intrauterine fetal surgery to prevent ongoing or secondary injury to the fetus, but so far the results of fetal surgery in all but a few highly selected conditions have been disappointing. Perhaps the main value of antenatal diagnosis is that the affected infant can be delivered at a tertiary institution and the appropriate treatment initiated at birth.
