Detection and management of anatomic congenital anomalies. A new obstetric challenge.
Whereas once the obstetrician was primarily concerned with diseases affecting the mother, the scope of antenatal fetal care has expanded to include a broader range of fetal diseases such as growth disorders and congenital anomalies. The feasibility of identifying congenital anomalies before birth has created an entirely new field of obstetrics. The specialist is now expected to be informed about the differential diagnosis, pattern of inheritance, mechanism of disease, prognosis, optimal obstetric management of the pregnancy, and counseling for future pregnancies.