Objective. To clarify the developmental activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) of the normal fetus and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) cases using fetal magnetocardiography (FMCG). Subjects and Methods. Normal pregnancy (n = 35) and IUGR (n = 12) cases at 28–39 and 32–37 weeks of gestation, respectively, were included in this study. The R-R interval variability was used to calculate the coefficient of variance (CVRR) and low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio. Results. The value of CVRR in the normal pregnancy group displayed a slight increasing trend with gestational age. However, no such trend was observed in the IUGR group. In contrast, the LF/HF ratio in both the normal pregnancy group and the IUGR group clearly increased over the gestational period; the normal group showing statistical significance. Conclusion. The development of fetal ANS activity in IUGR cases might differ from that observed in the normal pregnancy group, and this may facilitate early detection of IUGR.

We report a rare case of a monochorionic twin gestation after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in which one of the fetuses had VACTERL association. A 27-year-old woman became pregnant by ICSI and was found to have monochorionic twin fetuses. One fetus was noted to have the following anomalies: a multicystic, dysplastic left kidney with a hydroureter, and a dilated colon. A normal-sized stomach and normal amount of amniotic fluid were observed during the prenatal period with no other anomalies. The postnatal examination revealed hypospadias, and anal, esophageal, and duodenal atresia; thus, a diagnosis of VACTERL association was established. Although the prenatal diagnosis of this disorder is a challenge, even in a singleton, some of the characteristic features observed during antepartum ultrasonography may be a clue to the diagnosis, especially in a twin pregnancy after ICSI.

Epignathus of a fetus is an extremely rare type of an oropharyngeal teratoma that commonly arises from the palate and often grows in the prenatal period, leading to polyhydramnios due to difficulty in swallowing before birth and a high mortality due to the airway obstruction after birth. We report here a very rare case of a fetus with an epignathus decreasing in size naturally in the prenatal period with a favorable prognosis. In contrast to previously reported cases of epignathus that grew rapidly in the prenatal period, color Doppler fetal ultrasound showed a hypovascular tumor in our case. Moreover, histopathologic examination revealed an epignathus with necrotic areas inside. Based on our experience, a hypovascular epignathus demonstrated by color Doppler fetal ultrasound may be an indicator of a favorable prognosis.

Blue rubber bleb nevus syndrome (BRBNS) is a rare disorder characterized by multiple recurrent vascular malformations. Herein we report the case of a patient with BRBNS and placenta previa. Sonography and MRI clearly identified several hemangiomas located adjacent to the uterus with none adjacent to the anterior lower uterine segment. This preoperative information helped us perform the uterine wall incision safely during the cesarean delivery. The presence and location of hemangiomas adjacent to the uterus should be carefully examined in a pregnant woman with BRBNS prior to elective or emergency cesarean delivery.

Our findings indicate that human telomerase reverse transcriptase expression is the rate-limiting determinant of telomerase activity in chorionic villi during the first trimester. Telomerase activity was not detected in placentas with intrauterine growth retardation, whereas human telomerase reverse transcriptase was expressed in some placentas with intrauterine growth retardation.