Pregnancy Forum - Echogenic Bowel & Down Syndrome

Pregnancy Forum > Pregnancy Forum > Echogenic Bowel & Down Syndrome

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Q: Echogenic Bowel & Down Syndrome

asked by: DoctorQuestion on March 16th, 2007

I'm currently 18wks 6days and I went for a sonogram today. It's a boy! The doctor told me the baby had a fetal echogenic bowel. Can you give me more background information on that? I would love to know percentages of any problems this may cause to the baby. The doctor said they found no other signs of Down syndrome, but I'm still really worried. She said I had a 10% of something being wrong. Is that true? I have to wait 2 more weeks for another sonogram at the hospital and I'm about to go crazy!!!

Thanks!

Replies(2)

Dr. Nikola Gjuzelov , MD

replied on March 26th, 2007

Pregnancy Answer A2501

A hyperechogenic bowel is one of the 6 ultrasonografic markers that is used to detect fetal Down syndrome. The other markers include nuchal thickening, shortened femur, shortened humerus, echogenic intracardiac focus, and renal pyelectasis. Down syndrome is a chromosomal anomaly that ends with miscarriage or still birth. According to the epidemiologic studies, if hyperechogenic bowel is detected on an ultrasound scan, the risk for the baby having Down syndrome is 7%.

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