Current practices in determining amnionicity and chorionicity in multiple gestations

• Published in: Prenatal diagnosis 2011-01, Vol.31 (1), p.125-130
• Main Authors: Wan, Jennifer J., Schrimmer, David, Taché, Véronique, Quinn, Kristen, Lacoursiere, D. Yvette, James, Gina, Benirschke, Kurt, Pretorius, Dolores H.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Amnion - diagnostic imaging; amnionicity; Chorion - diagnostic imaging; Female; Gestational Age; Humans; Middle Aged; multiple gestations; placentation; Pregnancy; Pregnancy, Multiple; Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; Retrospective Studies; Triplets; Twins; Ultrasonography, Prenatal - trends; ultrasound
• ISSN: 0197-3851; 1097-0223
• DOI: 10.1002/pd.2663

Objective To evaluate the accuracy of amnionicity and chorionicity (A/C) diagnosis of referral physicians and a tertiary care center as compared to histopathologic diagnosis. Method A retrospective study of 289 multi‐fetal gestations was performed comparing A/C diagnoses of referring physicians, a tertiary care center, and histopathology. Results Two hundred and eighty‐nine multi‐fetal pregnancies were referred for evaluation; only 43.6% (126/289) carried an accurate diagnosis of A/C before tertiary care center evaluation. The tertiary care center accurately identified A/C in 94.8% (274/289) overall and 100% in first trimester twins and triplets. Referrals with an unspecified A/C diagnosis included 46.1% (113/245) twins and 64.1% (25/39) triplets. Conclusion Accurate diagnosis of A/C can be obtained by the early assessment of key sonographic findings. Referral providers are less accurate at determining A/C of mutifetal gestation when compared to a tertiary center, suggesting that an emphasis should be placed on enhancing these diagnostic skills in the general community or encouraging referral when diagnosis is ambiguous. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.