Fetal sacrococcygeal teratoma.

Abstract

Advances in prenatal diagnosis including improvements in ultrasonography have revealed the natural history of fetal sacrococcygeal teratomas, and this natural history differs substantially from that for postnatally diagnosed sacrococcygeal teratoma. A fetal sacrococcygeal teratoma may lead to perinatal morbidity and mortality by a variety of mechanisms. Adverse clinical sequelae of a sacrococcygeal teratoma can be prevented by accurate prenatal assessment and appropriate obstetrical and perinatal management. Development of fetal hydrops and/or placentomegaly predicts fetal demise. Fetal surgical intervention has proven successful in highly selected cases.