P20Early membrane funnelling may occur from 16 weeks onwards and carries a worse prognosis

Background Sonographic screening for cervical incompetence during pregnancy is currently a routine procedure. However, no consensus exists on the optimal gestational age to perform such screening. Method Serial transvaginal ultrasound examinations of the uterine cervix were routinely performed from 12 weeks onwards. The screening was considered positive when membrane funnelling was present or the cervical length was < 2 cm. Therapeutic measures included bed rest, antibiotics, tocolytic treatment and a modified McDonald's cervical suture (up to 25 weeks). Results Membrane funnelling was detected between 16 and 22 weeks (group A) in 9 women (31%); between 23 and 28 weeks (group B) in 11 women…

Posters
Early pregnancy
P01First trimester normograms for a wide variety of ultrasound, hemodynamic and serum parameters

Background The aim of the study was to assess prospectively the evolution of multiple clinical parameters throughout the first trimester of pregnancy. Method A transvaginal ultrasound examination and a blood test was weekly performed until the 13th gestational week in a group of healthy volunteers. A total of 25 spontaneously conceived singleton pregnant women with good pregnancy outcome finally completed the study. The evolution of 10 transvaginal ultrasound parameters, 5 Doppler measurements and 6 serum parameters was studied. Results An increasing trend with advancing gestation was evident for the mean gestational sac (MSD) and amniotic sac (AS) diameters, trophoblastic rim, CRL and seru…

F117Hystero-embryoscopic findings in early nonviable pregnancies

Background A high proportion of early pregnancy losses are associated to abnormal embryo development. However, chromosomal analysis of routine curettage samples are of limited value; and histopathological examinations of the embryos are rarely performed in clinical practice. Method A transcervical hystero-embryoscopy was performed prior to the curettage in 31 nonviable first-trimester pregnancies and a control group of 5 early terminations of pregnancy. In the study group, the estimated gestational age according to the ultrasound findings was 6.7 (4–9) menstrual weeks. Direct biopsies of different gestational structures were taken during the endoscopic procedure. Results In nonviable pregna…

F33Application of early sonographic markers of Down syndrome to pregnancies achieved by assisted reproduction techniques