Fetal liver length measurement at mid-pregnancy among fetuses at risk as a predictor of hemoglobin Bart's disease

Abstract

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of liver length measurement in predicting hemoglobin (Hb) Bart's disease among fetuses at risk at mid-pregnancy. Study Design: Pregnant women at risk of fetal Hb Bart's disease at 18 to 22 weeks of gestation were enrolled in the study. All of them underwent liver length measurement just before cordocentesis for fetal blood analysis. The final diagnosis used as a gold standard was based on fetal Hb typing using high-performance liquid chromatography. Result: A total of 334 pregnant women were recruited into the study. The prevalence of fetal Hb Bart's disease was 26.1% (87 of 334 fetuses). The sensitivity, specificity, as well as positive and negative predictive values of liver length in the prediction of affected fetuses were 71.3, 95.5, 84.9 and 90.4%, respectively. Overall, 24 fetuses (27.6%) had some degree of early hydrops fetalis. Of these, 20 had hepatomegaly as well. Conclusion: Liver length measurements at mid-pregnancy may be helpful in predicting affected fetuses among pregnancies at risk. Normal liver length measurement is associated with a very low risk of the disease. This information may help couples decide on whether to opt for either invasive diagnosis or a noninvasive approach, especially when used as an adjunct to other tests. © 2011 Nature America, Inc. All rights reserved.