Antenatal diagnosis and management of life-limiting conditions

Abstract

Whereas structural fetal abnormalities are relatively frequent occurrences, many of these do not impact measurably on future life and/or are amenable to postnatal therapy. A small minority are considered to be potentially lethal or life-limiting. Examples include specific skeletal dysplasias, urinary tract abnormalities - typically those which lead to anhydramnios and pulmonary hypoplasia, some disorders of the central nervous system and trisomies 13 and 18. Without seeking to compile an exhaustive list of such conditions, we discuss the principles and new considerations in relation to antenatal diagnosis and perinatal management of such disorders.