Management and outcomes of cystic hygromas: experience of a tertiary center.

PURPOSE

Cystic hygroma (CH) is a fetal sonographic finding with an incidence of 1%. Chromosomal abnormalities and structural malformations are commonly related with CH. We aimed to describe our experience and determine the association between diagnosis of CH and adverse pregnancy outcome.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed data of prenatal CH diagnoses over a ten-year period. Cases were evaluated for maternal age, gestational week at CH diagnosis, invasive procedure, karyotype result, associated abnormality and perinatal outcome. We categorized cases into two groups to understand the impact of maternal age on perinatal outcomes, and the cut-off was 35 years old.

RESULTS

Totally 28 individuals were enrolled in the study. The median maternal age at birth was 27.5 years old, and 7 patients were over 35 years old. Karyotype results were available for all individuals, and 15 had an abnormal chromosome (53.5%). Five fetuses had structural abnormalities, and they were all observed within patients under 35 years old. Healthy fetuses (without any problem at antenatal screening and birth) were found to be only 14.3% in advanced maternal age (AMA) group and 33.3% in young mothers.

CONCLUSIONS

Women with AMA and CH had a higher risk of having a baby with a chromosomal abnormality, as compared with younger women.