Doppler examination of the fetal cardiac function is possible after 5 weeks of gestation. After 8 weeks of gestation, the fetal heart is morphologically mature but has not yet achieved effective myocardial compliance. The embryonic human heart is dependent on the atrial contraction for ventricular filling throughout the period of cardiac development. Non-survivors manifest myocardial dysfunction.

The proposed combined use of the cervical sonography and fetal fibronectin testing is a practical diagnostic tool for predicting preterm delivery with higher sensitivity and negative predictive value than any of these methods alone.

<b><i>Objective:</i></b> To evaluate the efficiency of percutaneous intratumor laser ablation for fetal solid sacrococcygeal teratoma (SCT). <b><i>Subjects and Methods:</i></b> We carried out percutaneous ultrasound-guided intratumor laser ablation through a 17-gauge needle using an output of 40 W in 7 fetuses with large solid SCT and reviewed the literature for minimally invasive therapy for this condition. <b><i>Results:</i></b> Laser ablation was carried out at a median gestational age of 20 (range 19–23) weeks, and in all cases there was elimination of obvious vascularization within the tumor and improvement in cardiac function. Three (43%) babies survived and had surgical excision of the tumor within 2 days of birth, 3 liveborn babies died within 5 days of birth and before surgery, and 1 fetus died within 2 weeks after the procedure. In previous series of various percutaneous interventions for predominantly solid SCT the survival rate was 33% (2/6) (95% CI 9.7–70%) for endoscopic laser to superficial vessels, 57% (4/7) (95% CI 25–84%) for intratumor laser, 67% (8/12) (95% CI 39–86%) for intratumor radiofrequency ablation, and 20% (1/5) (95% CI 3.6–62%) for intratumor injection of alcohol. <b><i>Conclusions:</i></b> In solid SCT, the reported survival from intratumor laser or radiofrequency ablation is about 50%, but survival does not mean success, and it remains uncertain whether such interventions are beneficial or not because the number of fetuses is small and there were no controls that were managed expectantly.

Severe fetal cerebral ventriculomegaly, observed in about 1 in 1000 newborns, may result from chromosomal and genetic abnormalities, brain hemorrhage, or congenital infection, but in many cases there is no clear-cut etiology. The condition is associated with a high risk of perinatal death and neurodevelopmental delay in survivors and after prenatal diagnosis many parents choose to have pregnancy termination. However, some parents choose to continue with the pregnancy and in other cases the diagnosis is made at a gestational age at which termination is not a legal option. One option in the management of such cases of severe ventriculomegaly is intrauterine therapy by

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