Endoscopic examination of the fetus in early pregnancy

Objective: To assess if fetal examination is feasible by endoscopy in the l ate first-early second trimester. Setting: Tertiary referral center for high risk obstetrics and genetics. Patients and Methods: Patients (rotal number 9) submitted to pregnancy term ination for social reason (7) or for chromosomal abnormality (2) between 10 and 14 weeks of pregnancy. Visualisation of the foetus by a transabdominal ly introduced endoscope (19 gauge) under local anaesthesia. Step by step ex amination of the foetal contour and double check of the recordings by a sen ior Pathologist. Results: Patients complained no serious discomfort. Visualisation was accom plished in all cases with ease and the images were judged satisfactory by t he Pathologist. Fetal examination was found easier at 10-12 weeks of gestat ion rather than at 13-14 weeks. Discussion: Endoscopy is a simple and well tolerated procedure, which enabl es precise visualization of external fetal anatomy as early as the first tr imester of gestation. Therefore it can be proposed before surgical terminat ion of pregnancy.