Prenatal diagnosis

Prenatal diagnosis commenced in the 1980s as part of routine antenatal care in the United Kingdom. Ultrasonography has become widely spread and the main tool to screen for fetal structural abnormalities and chromosomal defects together with biochemical markers. Standardization of routine antenatal screening has only been introduced recently by the National Health Service Fetal Anomaly Screening Programme (FASP) in an attempt to achieve uniformity in prenatal diagnosis around the country. A series of recommendations were made including 11 fetal conditions with a detection rate of more than 50% that should be routinely screened for in any centre in the country. Any ultrasound scan should be performed in a systematic fashion ensuring examination of every system in the fetal anatomy. It is essential to become familiarized with the normal fetal anatomy and the most common structural abnormalities and referral to a centre with appropriate expertise is imperative if any abnormality is suspected.