To investigate the neonatal outcomes and prognosis of fetuses who were prenatally diagnosed with intraventricular hemorrhage(IVH) to provide evidence for clinical consultation and management.

Clinical data of fetal IVH cases (n=89) diagnosed by fetal neurosonogram (NSG) in Peking University First Hospital from January 2012 to April 2020 were retrospectively collected, and neonatal outcomes were analyzed, involving fetuses with different grades of IVH and coexisting abnormalities. These patients were followed up for more than three months after birth. Two child development screening systems, Ages & Stages Questionnaires (Third Edition) (ASQ-3) and Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional (ASQ-SE), were used to assess the development of the patients from several aspects including physical growth, oral communication, motor ability and social emotions. Descriptive statistical analysis was used in this study.

(1) A total of 89 fetuses were enrolled and 66.3% (59/89) of them underwent fetal cranial MRI examination after ultrasound diagnosis. Among these 59 cases, 32(54.2%) had the same results with fetal NSG; 20(33.9%) with the diagnosis of remote ventricular cystic hemorrhage by fetal NSG, but misdiagnosed by MRI, were all confirmed by neonatal craniocerebral ultrasound; 7(11.9%) were lost to follow-up or terminated. In addition to IVH that was consistent with the ultrasound diagnosis, MRI also found three cases of cortical malformation, three cases of subdural hemorrhage and two cases of cerebral parenchymal hemorrhage. (2) Among the 89 cases, 37 (41.6%) underwent neonatal craniocerebral ultrasound examination after birth showing small amount of remote IVH, which was consistent with previous fetal NSG diagnosis. (3) There were 38 cases complicated by lateral ventricular widening (three lost to follow-up, 18 were terminated , one died in uterus, 15 with good and one with poor outcome), 10 cases by severe IVH sequelae (one lost to follow-up and nine were terminated) and 10 by craniocerebral malformation (one lost to follow-up, eight were terminated and one with poor neonatal prognosis). Two cases with extracranial malformation (ureteropelvic junction obstruction) were healthy after birth. (4) There were 29, 30, 16 and 14 cases of gradeⅠ,Ⅱ,Ⅲ andⅣ of fetal IVH, respectively. Among all cases, 12 were lost to follow-up; three died in uterus (all with gradeⅣ IVH); 31 were terminated and 43 were born and followed up. During the follow-up of the 43 cases, two (one grade Ⅰ case with corpus callosum dysplasia and one grade Ⅲ case with fetal cytomegalovirus infection) had poor prognosis, while the other 41 (one gradeⅢ, 17 gradeⅡ and 23 gradeⅠcases) showed no severe abnormalities.

Fetal NSG is the first choice in screening fetal IVH and MRI can be a valuable aid. The neonatal prognosis may be associated with the grade of hemorrhage and coexisting abnormalities. Fetuses with isolated grade Ⅰ or Ⅱ IVH usually have a relatively good prognosis.

Intraventricular hemorrhage; Ultrasonography, prenatal; Magnetic resonance imaging; Prognosis