THE ROLE OF REDUCED EAR SIZE IN THE PRENATAL DETECTION OF CHROMOSOMAL-ABNORMALITIES

A prospective ultrasound study was performed between 18 and 38 weeks' gestation on 29 fetuses in a high-risk population, defined by the pres ence of structural anomalies, in order to investigate the usefulness o f fetal ear measurements in the prenatal prediction of chromosomal abn ormality. The prevalence of abnormal chromosomes was 34 per cent. The sensitivity (SE), specificity (SC), positive predictive values (PPV), and negative predictive values (NPV) of ear length for the detection o f chromosomal abnormality were 80, 84.2, 72.7 and 88.9 per cent. The S E, SC, PPV, and NPV of ear width were 40, 94.7, 80 and 75 per cent. Fe tal ear measurements may be a useful adjunct to the various ultrasound parameters in the prenatal detection of chromosome abnormality in a h igh-risk population of fetuses with structural anomaly(ies). (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.