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. 2016 Dec 21:25:256.
doi: 10.11604/pamj.2016.25.256.10011. eCollection 2016.

[Confrontation between ultrasound and fetopathological examination following therapeutic abortion performed in a maternity clinic in Tunisia]

[Article in French]
Mehdi Kehila  1 , Ahmed Halouani  1 , Omar Touhami  1 , Hassine Saber Abouda  1 , Abdeljalil Khlifi  2 , Rim Ben Hmid  1 , Ines Benhassen  3 , Aida Masmoudi  4 , Mohamed Badis Chanoufi  1
Affiliations

[Confrontation between ultrasound and fetopathological examination following therapeutic abortion performed in a maternity clinic in Tunisia]

[Article in French]
Mehdi Kehila et al. Pan Afr Med J. .

Abstract
in English, French

This study aims to evaluate the value of prenatal ultrasound diagnosis by comparing it with the results of the fetopathological examination in case of therapeutic interruption of pregnancy for fetal indication. We conducted a retrospective descriptive and analytical study carried out over a three-year period from January 2013 to December 2015. It involved 66 fetuses autopsied after therapeutic interruption of pregnancy for fetal indication. Fetopathological examination confirmed ultrasound results in 63 cases (95.4%). In 18 cases (27.2%) there was a full match between the results of the prenatal diagnosis and those of the autopsy. Nine percent of fetal malformations were detected in the first trimester. The majority of malformations (72%) were detected in the second timester. Neurological malformations were the most frequent (60%), dominated by hydrocephalus and anencephaly. This study shows that, in our clinical context, even if ultrasound diagnosis is often non-exhaustive, its signs indicating the need for interruptions of pregnancy are correct. Fetopathological examination is used, in this case, to detect unknown malformations, making it possible to specify the diagnosis and to implement a strategy for subsequent pregnancies.

Nous proposons d’évaluer la pertinence du diagnostic échographique anténatal en le comparant aux conclusions de l’examen foetopathologique en cas d’interruption thérapeutique de la grossesse pour indication fœtale. Il s’agit d’une étude rétrospective descriptive et analytique menée sur une période de trois ans allant de janvier 2013 à décembre 2015 ayant porté sur 66 fœtus autopsiés à la suite d’une interruption thérapeutique de grossesse pour indication fœtale. L’examen fœtopathologie a confirmé les résultats de l'échographie dans 63 cas (95,4%). Dans 18 cas (27,2%) il y avait une concordance complète entre les résultats du diagnostic prénatal et ceux de l'autopsie. Neufs pour cent des malformations fœtales ont été détectées au premier trimestre. La majorité de malformations (72%) ont été détectées au deuxième trimestre. Les malformations neurologiques étaient les plus fréquentes (60%), dominées par l’hydrocéphalie et l’anencéphalie. Cette étude montre que, dans nos conditions d’exercice, même si le diagnostic échographique est souvent non exhaustif, les indications des interruptions thérapeutiques de grossesses sont correctes. L’examen foetopathologique vient dans ce cas compléter les malformations méconnues permettant de préciser le diagnostic et mettre en place une stratégie pour les grossesses ultérieures.

Keywords: Fetus; autopsy; interruption of pregnancy; malformation; prenatal ultrasound.

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Conflict of interest statement

Les auteurs ne déclarent aucun conflit d'intérêt.

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