Donald School Journal of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology

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VOLUME 1 , ISSUE 3 ( July-September, 2007 ) > List of Articles

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Fetal Neurology—Lesson Learned and Future Challenges

Berivoj Miskovic, Guillermo Azumendi, Asim Kurjak, Lara Spalldi

Keywords : Neurobehavioral development,Fetal behavior,Four- dimensional ultrasound

Citation Information : Miskovic B, Azumendi G, Kurjak A, Spalldi L. Fetal Neurology—Lesson Learned and Future Challenges. Donald School J Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol 2007; 1 (3):26-36.

DOI: 10.5005/jp-journals-10009-1105

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

Published Online: 01-09-2008

Copyright Statement:  Copyright © 2007; The Author(s).


Abstract

Neurological failure is the most apprehension complication of pregnancy, labor and the neonatal period. The origin and outcome correlation is frequently doubtful. The arrival of four-dimensional ultrasonography (4D US) and its function to study fetal behavior patterns have initiated to offer insight into the structural and functional fetal brain development. Although many fetal behavioral studies have been conducted, it is still questionable whether the assessment of continuity from fetal to neonatal behavior could improve our ability of early detection of brain pathology. Neurological assessment of fetus in utero is extremely difficult even having such sophisticated equipment like 4D ultrasound. As it is well known that quantity of GMs is not so informative and predictive for neurological impairment, their quality should be assessed. Gestalt perception of premature GMs we are dealing with in utero and several weeks postnatally are not as predictive for the detection of neurologically abnormal fetuses or newborns as fidgety GMs. Therefore some additional parameters should be added to the prenatal neurological examination in order to improve our ability to make the distinction between normal and abnormal fetuses.

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