Unexplained prenatal abnormality of the fetal heart rate was noted during two pregnancies. Both newborns were later found to show the clinical and autopsy features of trisomy E. Chromosome studies confirmed the diagnosis in 1, but were technically unsuccessful in the other. Both babies were small for their gestational ages, and both died early in the neonatal period. Suspicion of such a fetal abnormality prevented unnecessary ceasarean section or operative delivery in one instance.
展开▼
