University of California Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Researcher Furthers Understanding of Diagnostics and Screening (Predictive Ability of Ultrasound on Neonatal Diagnoses and Consequences on Prenatal Care Utilization).

A recent study conducted at the University of California Harbor-UCLA Medical Center aimed to evaluate the accuracy of fetal ultrasound in diagnosing fetal anomalies and its impact on maternal counseling. The researchers reviewed electronic medical records of women receiving prenatal care at the medical center between 2015 and 2018. The study found that fetal ultrasounds were significantly associated with neonatal findings for various conditions, including anatomical disorders, congenital anomalies, genetic disorders, and growth restriction. However, the study also highlighted the high false-positive rates for certain diagnoses, such as congenital heart disease and anatomical disorders of the face/skull/brain. The researchers concluded that maternal counseling should include the limitations of ultrasound, including the potential for false-positive results. [Extracted from the article]