PRENATAL ULTRASONOGRAPHIC DETECTION OF ABDOMINAL AND PELVIC TUMORS - IMPACT ON MANAGEMENT

An abdominal or pelvic tumor in very seldom detected in a prenatal ult rasound examination. The most commonly detected tumors are, in order o f decreasing frequency, sacrococcygeal teratomas, neuroblastomas and k idney tumors. According to the present state of the art, diagnosis of a sacrococcygeal teratoma only leads to specific monitoring of the pre gnancy, because an early delivery or delivery by cesarean section will be necessary in some cases to improve the prognosis of child and/or m other. For other types of tumors investigations and actions should be delayed until after birth.