[Prenatal sonographic diagnosis of abnormalities and the significance of prepartum therapeutic procedures].

Between 1981 and October 1985, prenatal ultrasound examinations revealed 19 malformations of the central nervous system, 13 intestinal malformations, 15 malformations of the urogenital tract, four non-immunological cases of hydrops fetalis, two sacral teratomas and one cardiac malformation. In only one of eleven cases of hydrocephalus were all preconditions fulfilled for considering an intra-uterine ventriculo-amniotic shunt insertion. In bilateral obstructive uropathy the dynamics of amniotic fluid volume both before and after intra-amniotic administration of an infusion is decisive for any further prognostic assessment. There are marked differences regarding the neonatal survival rate between the various organ-specific malformations (gastro-intestinal: 31%; hydrocephalus: 55%; obstructive uropathy: 89%). Personal experience suggests that there are only a few cases requiring intra-uterine, predominantly invasive, treatment. The value of prenatal ultrasound examination lies mainly in early diagnosis and the resulting choice of subsequent obstetric measures. Of particular importance is an interdisciplinary collaboration with specialists in allied fields.