The Incidence of the Agenesis of Fetal Ductus Venosus at the 11–13 Weeks’ Ultrasound Examination

Objective: The objective is to examine the incidence of agenesis of fetal ductus venosus (DV) at the routine ultrasound examination at 11-13 weeks. Materials and methods: This is a retrospective study on women presenting for screening for chromosomal abnormalities. The fetal DV was routinely examined by color Doppler in the sagittal view. Results: Out of 8,304 fetuses examined, there were 13 cases of DV agenesis (0.15%). The umbilical vein drainage was intra-hepatic in two-thirds of the cases, and all resulted in normal live births. In the remaining one-third of cases, the umbilical vein drained to the inferior vena cava and all had a poor outcome because of aneuploidies, cardiac defects, and Noonan syndrome. Conclusion: Fetal DV agenesis occurs in about one in 650 fetuses and the majority of cases have a benign course and a favorable outcome. Failure to identify the DV should prompt a detailed ultrasound examination, identification of the drainage site of the umbilical vein, and genetic testing.