Postnatal outcome of isolated, nonprogressive, mild borderline fetal ventriculomegaly

Abstract

Background

This study aimed to evaluate postnatal outcome of fetuses affected by nonprogressive, isolated, mild (≥10 and ≤12 mm) borderline ventriculomegaly (BVM).

Methods

We studied 25 consecutive fetuses with BMV and evaluated patients' characteristic, ultrasonographic findings, and the neurodevelopmental outcome at age ≥24 months.

Results

The mean gestational age at diagnosis was 23.84 ± 5.02 weeks (min–max; 17–34 weeks). In 16 cases, BVM was bilateral (16/25, 64 %), 4 left sided (4/25, 16 %), and 5 right sided (5/25, 20 %). Fourteen cases were males (14/25, 56 %), and 11 cases were females (11/25, 44 %). In two cases, ventriculomegaly was regressed 4 weeks after the initial diagnosis (2/25, 8 %), and in the remaining cases, ventriculomegaly persisted between initial measurement and 12 mm. The mean age of the infant at the time of the neurodevelopmental evaluation was 45.9 months (24–77 months). The neurodevelopmental outcome at the mean age of 45.9 months was completely normal in 16 infants (16/25, 64 %). The remaining nine infants (9/25, 36 %) had mild degree of neuromotor developmental delay.

Conclusion

Prenatal counseling for isolated, nonprogressive, mild BVM should be mainly reassurance since it is not associated with severe neurodevelopmental delay. However, parents should be educated about the developmental milestone of children to observe and detect mild neurodevelopmental delay which can be associated with mild BVM.