Impact of first-trimester ultrasound on early detection of major fetal anomalies: Nationwide population-based study of over 1 million pregnancies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Major fetal anomalies are an important cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality. While routine second-trimester ultrasound screening around 20 weeks is the current standard, advances in imaging have enabled earlier anatomical assessment in the first trimester. Despite increasing practice of early screening in England, there is no national policy recommending first-trimester anatomical evaluation, and little is known about its impact on detection rates at population level. Our aim was to examine if different policies of fetal anatomical ultrasound practice have an impact on earlier diagnosis of major fetal anomalies.

Methods and findings

We conducted a nationwide, population-based study linking data from a national survey of first-trimester ultrasound protocols i

SUBMITTER: Karim JN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12646414 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature