Oregon women who are pregnant or plan to be pregnant soon should be aware of the tests that can be used to identify any possible medical complications with the fetus. One of those tests is a follow-up MRI scan that can be taken after the ultrasound at the midpoint of the pregnancy and can improve the diagnosis of a fetal brain abnormality.
This is according to a British study that chose 570 women who had received an ultrasound at 18 to 21 weeks of pregnancy that had detected a possible brain abnormality in the fetus. The additional information that was obtained in a follow-up MRI aided doctors in providing diagnosis and advice that were more precise.
An ultrasound is used at mid-pregnancy to identify major physical problems with the fetus. Brain abnormalities can occur in three of every 1,000 pregnancies. The additional information obtained from the added MRI scan can also give the expectant parents enough information to make decisions regarding their pregnancies. One of the authors of the study stated that an MRI scan should be automatically provided for any pregnancy in which there is a suspicion that the fetus may have a brain abnormality.
According to the study, 68 percent of the pregnant women who had only an ultrasound were provided with an accurate diagnosis. For the women who were given a follow-up MRI within two weeks of an ultrasound, the accuracy of the diagnoses rose to 93 percent. Additionally, in 25 percent of the cases, an MRI corrected an initial diagnosis.
A failure to diagnose a fetal medical condition can result in complications during delivery and after the birth for both the mother and the baby. A malpractice attorney could often be of assistance in attempting to obtain financial compensation for any medical errors that were committed during a pregnancy.