Recently, Donnenfeld et a1 [1985] reported on a twin pregnancy with multiple fetal anomalies that presented as an amniotic band sequence diagnosed prenatally by ultrasound. The patient decided to continue the pregnancy, and the ultrasound diagnosis of amniotic bands and the band sequence were confirmed after birth.
We have established a centralized fetal malformation screening program in Eastern Hungary [Papp et al, 19851, and between 1 July 1983 and 31 December 1984, 12,131 consecutive pregnancies were screened by maternal serum AFP estimation at the 16th gestational week and by ultrasound examination at 18 weeks (Picker LS 2000 realtime grey-scale ultrasound equipment). During this period, 95 cases of fetal malformation were detected, including one fetus with the amniotic band sequence. However, using ultrasound at 18 weeks, we detected amniotic bands, without signs of the sequence or other fetal malformation, in five other pregnancies (Figs. 1,2). These pregnancies continued to term with scanning every 4 weeks. In two of these pregnancies, the bands disappeared during the following monitoring period and were not visible in the infant at birth. In the three other pregnancies, bands persisted on scanning, and at birth were seen to involve the placenta only. All five newborn infants were free of bands and showed no malformations.
We suggest that "innocent bands" may exist (Fig. 3), and one should be very careful in evaluation of amniotic bands where there are no obvious ultrasound signs of fetal malformation.
Recently, this problem was also raised by Mahony et a1 [ 19851.