Fetal bowel can sometimes appear bright on prenatal ultrasound. However, echogenic bowel in the fetus is not a significant finding unless the bowel appears as bright as bone. If the ultrasound report does confirm echogenic fetal bowel, further management should include
Fetal echogenic bowel is present in 0.4-1.0% of second trimester ultrasound exams. It can be due to congenital cytomegalovirus infection, cystic fibrosis, intra-amniotic bleeding, Down syndrome or gastrointestinal obstruction, therefore further work up is warranted.
ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 226: Screening for Fetal Chromosomal Abnormalities
ACOG Practice Bulletin No. 162: Prenatal Diagnostic Testing for Genetic Disorders
Outcome of infants presenting with echogenic bowel in the second trimester of pregnancy
SMFM: Isolated echogenic bowel diagnosed on second-trimester ultrasound
Locate a Maternal Fetal Medicine Specialist: SMFM
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