The possibilities of ultrasound examination in the early diagnosis of fetal urinary tract malformations.

Based on the study of megacystics, the possibility of early (during the first prenatal screening) detection of intrauterine malformations of the urinary system, including in combination with fetal chromosomal pathology, was analyzed. Megacystic is one of the few intrauterine malformations available for diagnosis already in the first trimester of pregnancy and is an anomaly of intrauterine development characterized by an increase in the diameter of the fetal bladder of more than 7-8 mm in the first trimester. The prevalence of megacystic is low, but the clinical significance is great, as it is often a symptom of combined malformations and chromosomal abnormalities of the fetus. Possible variants of the megacystic flow are considered. If a megacystic is detected at any stage of pregnancy, an in-depth study is indicated, including medical and genetic counseling and, if necessary, invasive methods of prenatal diagnosis. The practical part of the study is based on an analysis of the outcomes of 32 pregnancies detected in the Voronezh Region from 2020 to 2025, in which megacystic was detected at the First screening. The authors conclude that megacystis prevails in the structure of MVS as a symptom of complex combined fetal malformations, and in 25% of cases it was combined with chromosomal abnormalities, and therefore prenatal screening in combination with medical and genetic counseling is necessary in all cases of detection of an enlarged bladder to resolve the issue of prolongation of pregnancy.

malformations, megacystis, chromosomal abnormalities, ultrasound examination, medical and genetic counseling